200 feared dead in latest migrant disaster off Libya's coast
ZUWARA, Libya (AP) — Libyan authorities were collecting the bodies of migrants who drowned off the western coastal city of Zuwara, with some 200 feared dead on Friday in the latest disaster involving desperate people trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean.
An Associated Press photographer at the scene saw workers removing bodies from the water, and pulling a flooded boat into the harbor that contained several drowned victims floating face down. At least one victim, a man, was wearing a life vest. They were put into body bags and lined up on the waterfront.
Hussein Asheini, the head of Libya's Red Crescent in Zuwara, said at least 105 people were killed, some while trapped inside the boat after it capsized. Fishermen and the coast guard found the waterlogged vessel at sea and towed it back to Zuwara, where they had to break the ship's deck to reach people trapped inside.
"The boat sank out at sea, and a coast guard team is still diving in and checking inside to see if there's anyone else," he said. There were conflicting casualty figures and the Red Crescent was still counting the bodies and the survivors, he added.
In a statement, the United Nations refugee agency said that up to 200 people were missing and feared dead after the Libyan coast guard carried out rescue operations Thursday for two boats carrying an estimated 500 migrants.
Othman Belbeisi, chief of mission for the International Organization for Migration for Libya, said in a statement: "We are still waiting for more details, but we have learned there were 400 people on one of two boats."
He said 100 were rescued, including nine women and two girls.
The head of passport control police in Zuwara, Anwar Abu el-Deeb, said his organization has no contact with the Italian or any other coast guard in coordinating efforts to stop the smuggling. He also said he's unable to estimate the number of boats that leave the city because they depart in secrecy.
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