11 Migrants Die In Attempt To Cross To Italy

11 bodies of migrants have been recovered by Libyan coast guards off the countries western shore during an attempt to cross to Italy on Sunday.

According to Naval coastguard spokesman Ayoub Qassem said no fewer than 80 migrants survived the incident off the city of Sabratha, about 70 km west of Tripoli and coastguards brought them back to the nearby city of Zawiya.

He said the migrants were from various sub-Saharan African countries.

Qassem said a second boat, carrying 200 migrants including 38 women and one child, was intercepted off Zliten, about 135 km east of Tripoli.

He said as well as African migrants, the vessel was carrying Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Indians.

Libya is the most common departure point for migrants trying to reach Europe by sea.

No fewer than 600,000 crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy in the past four years, the vast majority from Libya.

Since last July there has been a sharp drop in crossings as Libyan authorities backed by Italy pressured local groups to stop smuggling and supported Libya’s coastguard to intercept those who do leave.

European powers have also pushed to reduce flows into Libya from the south and the International Organization for Migration has flown back 25,000 migrants from Libya to their home countries since the start of 2017.

According to Italy’s interior ministry, some 5,330 migrants had crossed from Libya to Italy between Jan. 1 and April 20, about 85 per cent lower than during the same period in 2017.