About 5,000 refugees rescued, 24 found dead off Libya

Rescuers have managed to save a large number of migrants from the Mediterranean Sea, while also recovering at least 24 bodies of people who could not be saved at Libyan shores.

Volunteers with the international Red Crescent recovered the bodies, which had washed up on the shore in an eastern suburb of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Tuesday.

“We began recovering bodies after receiving reports from the Libyan coastguard,” said Red Crescent member Hossam Nasr. “We started on Sunday and the search and recovery is still ongoing.”

“The total number of bodies recovered today is 24, it was difficult because of the terrain; but thank God with the efforts of everyone here, and all the volunteers, we did it,” he added

Some 5,000 other refugees were pulled to safety by emergency services, Italy’s navy, aid groups, and private boats on Monday and the rescue operations continued on Tuesday, an Italian coastguard spokesman said.

Authorities said the death toll was expected to increase.

Aid group Jugend Rettet (Rescuing Youth) said its ship reached the capacity limit even as more refugee boats were still being seen on the horizon.

Another aid group known as Sea Watch said it had never put so many rescued refugees and migrants on board its ship. The vessel was loaded on Monday by more than 300 men, 26 women — four of whom were pregnant — and 17 children, the group said.

More than 30 overloaded trafficking boats had left Libya for Europe on Sunday, according to the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS).

Refugees and asylum seekers are packed onto unseaworthy boats and dinghies by smugglers in the hope of crossing the Mediterranean and reaching Europe. The boats are usually intercepted by European vessels once they enter international waters.

SS