Nineteen bodies, including seven Egyptians, belonging to unorganised immigrants from several countries were found near the Wadi Ali in the area of the Great Sand Sea on the Egyptian-Libyan borders, the Libyan Red Crescent Organisation announced on Thursday.
Necessary procedures were taken and bodies were buried in the Islamic cemetery of the anonymous dead western Tobruk late on Thursday, according to the organisation.
The head of the investigations unit in the Libyan authority of countering illegal migration, Colonel Moragea Mohammed, told local media that the bodies were found by civilians in the area of the Great Sand Sea and were taken to Tobruk Medical Centre, adding that the Libyan authority of countering illegal migration suffers from hard conditions due to the lack of capabilities. Also, he asserted that the investigations unit has assuring information about additional bodies will be taken to Tobruk.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an official statement on Saturday that the Egyptian embassy in Tripoli, which is working from Cairo has known from its sources in the Libyan Red Crescent Organisation that 19 bodies were found in the desert between Tobruk and Ajdabiya, and the organisation assumes that they died during their illegal immigration with the help of smugglers and the embassy is working to confirm their identities.
Spokesperson of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Abou Zaid said that seven bodies were identified by checking their identity cards, which pointed out that they are Egyptians. Abou Zaid added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following the issue and that transferring the bodies from Libya to Egypt has been arranged between the Egyptian embassy and the Libyan authorities responsible, also they are coordinating to assure the identity of other bodies.
Khalifa Ahmed Mohammed the father of one of the victims said that he was notified about the death of his son when one of his friends told him. He added in a call with TeN TV station on Saturday that he is from Samalout in Minya governorate and his 26-year-old son insisted to travel to Libya, but had died in the desert, and no authority in the Egyptian state helped with the issue.
Ramadan Hamed, cousin of deceased Mohammed Gamal Abdel Tawab, from the city of Manfalouti in Assiut governorate, told Al-Masry Al-Youm local newspaper that his cousin was 15 years old and was in third grade in prep school. Hamed added that his cousin left the village [Gamrriss] 10 days ago, heading to Libya, and the family knew about his death from Facebook.
