Five Migrant Bodies Found on Libyan Coast Near Tripoli
Authorities warn more bodies may wash ashore as Libya remains a perilous transit route to Europe
- At least five migrants, including two women, found on Qasr al-Akhyar shoreline.
- Bodies discovered along Emhamid Al-Sharif shore; Red Crescent alerted for recovery.
- UN warns migrants in Libya face high risk of abuse and calls for moratorium on boat returns.
At least five migrant bodies, including two women, have washed ashore in Qasr al-Akhyar, east of Tripoli, according to a local police official.
Hassan Al-Ghawil, head of investigations at the town’s police station, said residents discovered the bodies along the Emhamid Al-Sharif shoreline and alerted authorities. He added that witnesses reported seeing the body of a child carried in by the waves, but rough seas swept it back before it could be recovered. The coast guard has since been notified to search the area.
Al-Ghawil said the deceased were dark-skinned and some were found still inside black inflatable lifebuoys. The Red Crescent has been informed to retrieve the remains. He warned that additional bodies could wash ashore in the coming days.
Libya has served as a major transit point for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe since the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. Ongoing instability and divisions between rival eastern and western administrations since 2014 have further complicated the situation.
The discovery follows other recent tragedies. Earlier this month, the International Organization for Migration reported that 53 migrants, including two infants, were dead or missing after a rubber boat carrying 55 people capsized off the coast of Zuwara in western Libya.
Last week, a United Nations report warned that migrants in Libya face severe human rights abuses — including torture, sexual violence and forced labour — and called for a halt to the return of intercepted migrant boats to the country until adequate protections are in place.
