On Sunday, the bodies of seven illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan countries were found on the beach east of the capital, Tripoli, according to a worker at the Libyan Red Crescent, as reported by Agence France-Presse, amid expectations that other immigrants have not yet been found.
The source clarified that among the victims were three children, confirming that the circumstances of the deaths have not yet been revealed, while the organization indicated that volunteers were able to recover the bodies from the area of Qasr Al-Akhyar, located about 73 kilometers east of Tripoli. The Red Crescent data indicated that the incident comes within a series of illegal immigration attempts witnessed annually on the Libyan coasts, making the country a major transit route for thousands of migrants heading towards Europe, amid constant risks to their lives. Official statistics from the International Organization for Migration confirm that more than 2,100 migrants lost their lives or went missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards Europe last year, reflecting the rising death rate on this dangerous sea route. The Red Crescent added that volunteers are continuing to monitor the coasts and search for any survivors or additional bodies, in light of the ongoing risks faced by illegal immigrants, calling for the strengthening of rescue efforts and the protection of lives.
