Rescue teams recovered five decomposed bodies around 550 kilometers south of Tobruk in the Great Sand Sea.
Authorities transported the remains to Tobruk, calling the incident a stark example of the deadly “death journey.”
Abreen, a local aid group, said the victims likely came from Sudan and shared photos from the recovery site.
Dangerous Journeys Across Land and Sea
Migrants flee war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, using Libya as a main route to Europe.
Many travel through deserts or cross the Mediterranean by boat, risking death along the way.
In December, 61 migrants, including women and children, drowned off Zuwara on Libya’s western coast.
In May, seven Sudanese migrants died after a vehicle broke down in the desert for 11 days.
Europe Faces Growing Migration Pressure
The IOM estimates 787,000 migrants and refugees lived in Libya in 2024.
The UNHCR reported 32,400 people crossed from Libya to Europe in 2021, more than double 2020 totals.
In April, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed adding 30,000 Frontex officers to secure Europe’s borders.
