As Libya continues to be rocked by instability and violence, a high number of migrants remain trapped inside Libya, many of whom might choose to head towards Europe by sea, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

In its latest Libya Situation Report, the IOM said that for many migrants, Libya is a country of transit. However, in the last few months, IOM staffers met many other migrants who have been living permanently in Libya but who recently decided to leave the country and travel to Italy by sea.

The migrants who manage to reach the Italian coast often report that violence is escalating in Libya, with thousands waiting to depart the country as soon as possible.

Many migrants have been waiting to leave for months inside so-called “connection houses”, avoiding the prevalent bad weather conditions during March, where they often become victims of brutal violence and abuse perpetrated by smugglers. 

It is estimated that some 5,000 migrants lost their lives last year at sea or in remote deserts or mountains.

This makes 2014 the deadliest year on record, with double the number of the previous year’s deaths.  In the first three months of 2015, Italy registered a total of 10,165 migrants arriving on its shores – a slight drop from the same period last year.