Decomposed migrants’ bodies wash ashore off Libyan coast

Libyan coast guards have reported that 12 decomposed bodies of illegal migrants were washed ashore on Friday off the coast of Garabulli, nearly 75 km to the east of the capital, Tripoli.

A Libyan coast guards official, Abdullatif Al-Munser, said the migrants were heading to the Italian island of Lampedusa.He said the bodies were almost decomposed completely, indicating the boat carrying them sank several days ago.

Libya has long been a preferred point of departure for migrants to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe, although many of whom drown on the way.

French Defense Minister said on Thursday that nearly 800,000 migrants are waiting in Libya targeting European shores, while the UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that almost 100,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean in 2016 so far.