ISLAMABAD – The Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Tuesday that 16 bodies of Pakistani nationals have been recovered after a vessel carrying as many as 63 Pakistanis capsized off the coast of Libya.
This tragedy follows a similar incident last month, when a boat carrying 80 passengers sank near Morocco. At least 13 Pakistanis were confirmed dead in that incident, while over 40 were reportedly murdered by African human traffickers. Only 22 passengers survived.
In a statement, the FO said that a team from the Pakistani Embassy in Tripoli visited Zawiya city, where they gathered information after meeting with local officials and hospital authorities.
“According to unconfirmed reports, 63 Pakistanis were on board. So far, 16 bodies have been recovered and identified based on their passports. There are 37 survivors, including one in the hospital and 33 in police custody. Around 10 Pakistanis remain missing. Three survivors are currently in Tripoli under the care of the embassy,” the FO stated.
A list of recovered bodies has been shared by the FO, while efforts are ongoing to gather more information. The Pakistani Embassy in Tripoli is in continuous contact with local authorities.
A day earlier, the FO announced that a Crisis Management Unit had been activated to monitor the situation.
Families seeking information about their loved ones can contact the embassy at 03052185882, +218913870577, or +218 91-6425435 (WhatsApp). The FO’s Crisis Management Unit can be reached at 051-9207887.
