Dire Straits: Refugees, Libya and Crossing the Mediterranean

The broken state of Libya has long been the jump-off point for African and Middle Eastern refugees fleeing the trouble-plagued African continent for a dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean to Europe. But Libya is hardly a place of welcome. Having only just recovered from a brutal civil war, Libya is now an EU-funded holding pen for African refugees, Brussels and other European capitals eager to avoid a renewed surge of undocumented arrivals as occurred in 2015. In this episode of The Focus John speaks with Sally Hayden. Sally is an award-winning journalist and photographer currently focused on migration, conflict and humanitarian crises. She is also author of the book: My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World's Deadliest Migration Route published in 2022 by Melville House.