Tripoli (Horn post) At least five migrant bodies, including those of two women, have been found on the coast of Qasr al-Akhyar, a coastal town east of Tripoli, a local police official told Reuters.
Hassan Al-Ghawil, head of investigations at the Qasr al-Akhyar police station, said residents reported seeing the body of a young child washing ashore, but rough sea conditions caused it to be swept back into the water. He said coast guard units have been asked to search the area.
According to Al-Ghawil, all the recovered bodies so far are believed to be migrants from Africa. The bodies were found on Emhamid Al-Sharif beach, on the western side of the town, after residents alerted the police.
Libya has become a major transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty and attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.
The flow increased after the 2011 uprising that led to the fall of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, following a NATO-backed intervention.
Since 2014, factional fighting has divided the country between rival eastern and western administrations.
Qasr al-Akhyar lies about 73 kilometers (45 miles) east of Tripoli along Libya’s Mediterranean coast.
Images circulated online and reviewed by Reuters showed the bodies lying along the shoreline, with some still wearing flotation devices.
Prepared by:
Horn post staff reporter
Hargeisa Somaliland
