Off the wire
• U.S. stocks rally amid oil volatility, European central bank president's comments  • Armenian government approves visa-free regime agreement with Iran  • UN relief chief concerned over plight of civilians trapped in Iraq's Fallujah  • News Analysis: Division within Democratic Party in spotlight, overshadowing Clinton's presidential run  • Burundi says EU's cut in AMISOM funding "unfair"  • Caribbean States gather in Cuba to address regional challenges  • EU expresses condolences to victims of hotel bombing in Somalia  • Dogs may have been domesticated not once, but twice: study  • Chinese in Dubai allowed to swap driving license without taking replacement test  • U.S. dollar rises against most major currencies  
You are here: 　 Home

At least 85 bodies of immigrants wash ashore in Libya

Xinhua, June 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least 85 bodies of migrants washed ashore in Libya's western city of Zwarah on Thursday as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean, an official of the Libyan Red Crescent confirmed.

Al-Khamis Al-Bosefi said that relief workers are recovering more bodies, including women and children, adding that the circumstances of their death are still unclear.

No sea rescue patrol was done this week due to poor weather conditions, said Al-Bosefi.

Zwarah's municipality council condemned "leniency and inaction of the state institutions and international organizations" towards the migrant crises in the city.

"The municipality of Zwarah holds the officials of the Libya institutions and international organization responsible for the failure to provide assistance to fight this phenomenon."

More than 40,000 immigrants have crossed the Mediterranean towards Europe this year. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, at least 880 immigrants drowned on the way to Europe this week.

Libya is a preferred point of departure for immigrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe due to insecurity and chaos. Endit