335 Pakistanis perish chasing Europe dream

Seven migrant boat tragedies since 2023 leave hundreds dead

ISLAMABAD:

At least 335 Pakistanis have lost their lives while attempting to reach Europe through illegal migration routes since June 2023, with seven deadly migrant boat disasters claiming hundreds of lives.
According to documents obtained by The Express Tribune from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), 467 Pakistanis were aboard the seven boats involved in the reported disasters. Of them, 335 died, while 131 survived. 
The records show that Greece-and Libya-bound routes have accounted for most of the casualties, with boats departing from Libya alone claiming the lives of 71 Pakistanis.
According to the documents, the deadliest tragedy occurred in June 2023, when a boat carrying migrants to Greece capsized. A total of 226 Pakistanis were aboard, of whom 207 died, while only 19 survived.
Another boat carrying migrants to Greece met with disaster in December 2024, with 69 Pakistanis on board. The incident claimed the lives of 25 Pakistanis, while 44 were rescued.
In January 2025, a boat carrying 70 Pakistanis capsized near Morocco. The documents state that 32 passengers died, while 38 survived.
The FIA records show that most of the recent tragedies occurred off the Libyan coast. Since February 2025, four major boat disasters have been reported near Libya, resulting in the deaths of 71 Pakistanis.
In one such incident in February 2025, authorities identified 40 Pakistani victims. According to the documents, 23 Pakistanis died, while 13 survived.
The documents further state that boat disasters occurring in February, April and October 2025, as well as April 2026, affected 102 Pakistanis. Across these Libya-linked incidents, 71 Pakistanis lost their lives, while 30 survived.
The latest tragedy occurred in April 2026, when another migrant boat capsized off the Libyan coast. The accident claimed the lives of 45 Pakistanis, while 12 others survived.