Egyptian authorities rescue 29 Bangladeshi migrants stranded at sea following deadly Mediterranean voyage
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Egyptian authorities have rescued 29 Bangladeshi nationals who were found drifting in a rubber boat in the Mediterranean Sea, according to officials from the Bangladesh Embassy in Cairo. The survivors are currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Marsa Matrouh.
The incident began when the group departed from Tobruk, Libya, on August 3, intending to reach Greece. According to the embassy, the migrants had been recruited by human traffickers and were traveling in a rubber boat powered by a single speed-boat engine, lacking any proper navigation systems. The journey, which was expected to take approximately 36 hours, turned catastrophic after the vessel ran out of fuel and drifted off course for ten days.
The boat eventually reached the coast of Marsa Matrouh, Egypt, on August 13, where local police discovered and rescued the survivors. Among those recovered, 18 individuals were found in critical or unconscious condition.
Abdul Karim, one of the survivors who spoke with embassy official Zakir Hossain, reported that the vessel initially carried 42 people, including 38 Bangladeshis and four Sudanese nationals. Karim stated that extreme heat, dehydration, and lack of food caused the deaths of 10 people during the ordeal, including nine Bangladeshis and one Sudanese national. He noted that the bodies had to be cast into the sea after they began to decompose due to the harsh conditions.
Zakir Hossain, the First Secretary of Labor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Cairo, has been coordinating with Egyptian police and hospital administrators to monitor the health and status of the survivors.
The embassy confirmed it is providing consular assistance and closely tracking the condition of those hospitalized. Once the survivors have recovered, officials intend to follow established Egyptian legal procedures to facilitate their repatriation to Bangladesh.
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