11 Bodies Found Floating Off Libyan Coast

An aircraft operated by a non-governmental organisation that assists migrants in the Mediterranean spotted 11 bodies off the coast of Libya. The corpses were described as being in an advanced state of decomposition.

In a statement, the NGO SOS Mediterranee described the sight as ‘horrifying’. The organisation said ‘some of the bodies were still wearing clothes, others were still floating with inner tubes’.

‘This sight is a reminder of the humanitarian consequences of Europe’s deadly policies of indifference and deterrence at all costs,’ the organisation said in a statement.

The Italian coastguard said it had been notified. Italy then informed the Libyan authorities, as the bodies were located in the Libyan search and rescue zone. The bodies were reportedly found approximately 57 nautical miles from the coastal city of Zuwarah.

The monitoring aircraft was operated by SOS Mediterranee and the Humanitarian Pilots Initiative.

Every year, tens of thousands of migrants attempt to cross the sea from North Africa to southern European Union member states.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said this week that the number of known migrant deaths in the central Mediterranean has increased drastically, even as migrant numbers decline due to stricter European policies. A total of 821 people died or went missing in the first four months of 2026, an increase of 111 percent compared to 2025. More than half of the deaths were caused by severe weather in January. During the same period, migrant arrivals via the route fell by 46 percent to 8,577 people.

EU border agency Frontex said the total number of irregular border crossings into the EU fell by 26 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, to nearly 178,000.