Migrant Bodies Discovered Along Libyan Coast East of Tripoli

Five migrant bodies, including two women, were found washed ashore near the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Saturday. A child's body was also spotted but returned to sea due to high waves, prompting a coast guard search.

Authorities in Libya discovered the remains of five migrants along a coastal area east of Tripoli on Saturday, according to local police officials.

The bodies, which included two women, were found on the shoreline at Emhamid Al-Sharif in the coastal community of Qasr al-Akhyar, located approximately 45 miles east of the capital city.

Hassan Al-Ghawil, who leads investigations at the local police station, reported that residents in the area also spotted a child’s body that had washed ashore, but strong waves carried it back out to sea. Officials have requested the coast guard to conduct a search for the missing child.

According to Al-Ghawil, local residents discovered the bodies and immediately contacted police. Photos circulating online, which Reuters has verified, show the deceased migrants on the beach, with some still wearing black inflatable life preservers.

“We reported to the Red Crescent to recover the bodies,” Al-Ghawil stated. “The bodies we found are still intact and we think there are more bodies to wash ashore.”

The North African nation has served as a major pathway for people fleeing violence and economic hardship, seeking passage to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. This migration route became heavily trafficked following the 2011 overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi during a NATO-supported rebellion. Political divisions have fractured the country between competing eastern and western governments since 2014.

This tragedy follows another recent maritime disaster earlier this month when 53 migrants, including two infants, died or went missing after their rubber vessel capsized near Zuwara, a town west of Tripoli, according to the International Organization for Migration.

A recent United Nations assessment highlighted the severe dangers facing migrants in Libya, including young girls who face threats of murder, torture, sexual assault, and forced domestic servitude. The report recommended halting the return of migrant vessels to Libya until basic human rights protections can be guaranteed.