At least 90 migrants feared drowned after boat capsizes off Libya

Most of those on board are thought to have been Pakistanis, who have been taking more and more places on migrant boats.

Migrants on a dinghy are seen being rescued by "Save the Children" NGO crew from the ship Vos Hestia in the Mediterranean sea off Libya coast

Large numbers of migrants have tried to cross the Mediterranean.

At least 90 migrants are feared to have drowned after a smuggler’s boat capsized off Libya, the UN migration agency has said.

Olivia Headon, from the International Organisation for Migration, said most of those on board were Pakistanis.

“They have given an estimate of 90 who drowned during the capsize, but we still have to verify the exact number of people who lost their lives during the tragedy,” she said.

The bodies of two Libyans and eight Pakistanis are reported to have washed up on Libyan shores, while three people are thought to have survived, she added.

Security officials in the western Libyan town of Zurawa said two Libyans and one Pakistani had been rescued.

She added that Pakistani nationals had been taking an increasingly large share of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean via Libya to Europe.

Zurawa – near Libya’s border with Tunisia – is often the site of migrant boat departures.

The numbers of people trying to reach Europe from Libya has dropped sharply since July.

Afrobeat and dancehall artist Kingboy said: ”I don’t get it. Why do people leave their countries to other countries in search of greener pastures? One thing you should note; your country has everything you need to survive than any other country. The problem is that; you are either lazy. Start from the beginning and end somewhere”

Libyan authorities have blocked departures after pressure was applied by Italy and the European Union.

Over the last four years, more than 600,000 people are believed to have made the journey from Libya to Italy.

Reporting Quincy Otaraku, Editing John Seny