61 dead migrants retrieved on Libyan coast over two weeks
Authorities have recovered the bodies of at least 61 migrants along the western coast of Tripoli over two weeks, according to The New Arab via Reuters on October 11th.
The Emergency Medicine and Support Centre, which is under the authority of Libya’s health ministry, revealed that the bodies were recovered close to the border with Tunisia, specifically in the area from Zuwara to Ras Ijdir.
The centre stated that “remains of three bodies were found in Mellitah and 12 bodies in Zuwara, all of them belonging to irregular migrants.” It added that a further 34 bodies were subsequently recovered in Zuwara, Aby Kammash and Mellitah.
The centre also said that 12 of the bodies were buried, whilst some others were taken to the morgue to undergo autopsies and documentation.
The centre’s verified Facebook page posted photos of medics recovering the bodies from beaches and putting them into white plastic bags for burial or transportation.
Due to the lack of a centralised authority that can adequately coordinate a deterrent, Libya has become a hub for migrant traffickers who predominantly profit from smuggling asylum seekers through Africa and across the Mediterranean Sea into Europe.
According to Chatham House on February 21st, the NATO-backed overthrow and subsequent killing of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi led to a power vacuum in the country.
This has allowed multiple armed factions to fester, creating a fragmented economy driven by violence and crime in which migrant traffickers flourished.
In 2025, the amount of migrants intercepted off the Libyan coast and returned to land increased compared to 2024. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported that 19,264 migrants have been intercepted since the start of the year, including 460 deaths across the Central Mediterranean route.
European policymakers are eager to reduce migrant arrivals from Libya. On October 7th, Italian officials revealed they were collaborating with Libya’s Government of National Unity in Tripoli to mitigate the crisis through a variety of different projects.
The New Arab via Reuters, Chatham House, Maghrebi.org
Want to chase the pulse of North Africa?
Subscribe to receive our FREE weekly PDF magazine
