Libyan Navy: 11 migrants’ bodies recovered, over 280 others rescued

BY Libyan Express Apr 23, 2018 - 11:44

Illegal immigrants, who were rescued by the Libyan coastguard in the Mediterranean off the Libyan coast, arrive at a naval base in the capital Tripoli on May 10, 2017. [AFP PHOTO / MAHMUD TURKIA]

Libyan coastguards recovered the bodies of 11 illegal migrants who died off Libya’s western shores during an attempted crossing to Italy on Sunday, a spokesman said.

More than 80 migrants survived the incident off the city of Sabratha, about 70 km (44 miles) west of Tripoli, and coastguards brought them back to the nearby city of Zawiya, said naval coastguard spokesman Ayoub Qassem.

The migrants were from various sub-Saharan African countries, he said.

A second boat, carrying 200 migrants including 38 women and one child, was intercepted off Zliten, about 135 km (84 miles)east of Tripoli, Qassem said. As well as African migrants, the vessel was carrying Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Indians.

Libya is the most common departure point for migrants trying to reach Europe by sea. More than 600,000 crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy in the past four years, the vast majority from Libya, according to statistics.

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