(Rome) The bodies of eleven migrants who were adrift off the Libyan coast were recovered on Friday, the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced on X.
“Unfortunately, after a search operation that lasted more than nine hours, the team from #GeoBarents”, the MSF humanitarian ship, “recovered the bodies of 11 people who unfortunately lost their lives,” wrote the non-governmental organization (NGO) on X.
Earlier in the evening, the German NGO Sea-Watch reported 11 bodies of migrants adrift off the coast of Libya.
“During today’s flight with our Seabird,” the NGO’s reconnaissance plane, “the crew spotted 11 bodies,” wrote Sea-Watch on X.
“We do not know if the bodies discovered off the Libyan coast are the victims of a previously unknown shipwreck. What is certain is that we are flying over a mass grave wanted by Europe,” deplores the NGO.
“The so-called Libyan Coast Guard –– funded by the EU – ignored our call for the bodies to be recovered. Our thoughts go out to all the bereaved and to those who still hope in the uncertainty of knowing where their loved ones are,” adds Sea-Watch, which has already had problems in the past with the Libyan authorities, the latter threatening to shoot down their plane with a missile.
According to figures from the Italian Ministry of the Interior, arrivals by sea on the national territory have fallen considerably since the start of the year: 21,792 people arrived in Italy between 1er January and June 7, compared to 53,270 during the same period of 2023.
The crossing is dangerous, often fatal. In 2023, 3,041 migrants were reported missing after attempting to cross the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).