At least 11 people have died after a migrant boat capsized near Libya’s eastern coast, with four Pakistani nationals confirmed among the victims, the Pakistani embassy in Libya reported on Monday.
The tragedy unfolded on April 12 near the Harawa coast, close to the city of Sirte. According to an official communiqué sent by the embassy to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rescue teams have so far recovered 11 bodies from the sea.
A team from the Pakistani embassy visited Sirte to assist with the identification process. Using national identification documents, officials confirmed the identities of the four deceased Pakistanis. Three of the victims were from Mandi Bahauddin, while one hailed from Gujranwala.
The identified Pakistani victims are: Zahid Mahmood, son of Liaqat Ali (Gujranwala); Sameer Ali, son of Raja Abdul Qadeer (Mandi Bahauddin); Syed Ali Hussain, son of Shafqat-ul-Hussnain (Mandi Bahauddin); and Asif Ali, son of Nazar Muhammad (Mandi Bahauddin).
In addition to the four Pakistanis, five Egyptian nationals have also been confirmed among the dead. Two bodies remain unidentified as authorities continue their efforts to establish their identities.
The Pakistani embassy remains in close contact with local Libyan authorities to gather further details and provide assistance in the identification and repatriation process. Officials have expressed concern that the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continue in the area.
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