Shahida Raza, 27, represented Pakistan in several international games, the Pakistan Hockey Federation said.
Seeking a better future for her disabled son, Raza enlisted human smugglers to get her out of the country.
According to her friend and former teammate Summaya Kainat, Raza left her home four months ago for neighbouring Iran and then Turkey.
According to AAP, Kainat said her friend’s goal was to eventually reach Italy or Australia and seek asylum there.
Raza was a member of the Shi'ite Muslim Hazara minority, a sect often targeted by Islamist militants.
She opted for asylum because she believed it was easier to gain refugee status after illegally entering these countries than it was to get a regular visa, Kainat added.
The Foreign Ministry in Islamabad said there were 20 Pakistanis onboard the boat which was carrying the migrants from Turkey to Italy.
Of them, at least four died in the shipwreck, the ministry added.
Every year, several thousand impoverished Pakistanis take the dangerous overland and sea routes, attempting to reach Europe in hope of a better life.
They pay millions to human traffickers but risk their lives while making the journey.
Pakistani officials said they were planning a new crackdown on people smugglers in the province of Punjab after the boat tragedy.
AAP via Reuters
