At least 18 migrants die in shipwreck off eastern Libya, 50 others missing

At least 18 migrants died in a shipwreck off the city of Tobruk in eastern Libya over the weekend, and 50 are still missing, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday, citing reports.

Ten survivors have been accounted for so far, the IOM said.

Tobruk is a coastal city near the border with Egypt.

A diplomatic source from the Egyptian consulate in Benghazi in eastern Libya told Reuters by phone that the migrants are from Egypt.

Bodies repatriated

The diplomat said 10 bodies were identified and transferred back home, while the survivors were being held in an anti-illegal migration facility.

A Libyan Coast Guard official said the bodies of migrants were found in Alaghila Beach, some 25 kilometres east of Tobruk.

"Libya remains a major transit point for migrants and refugees, many of whom face exploitation, abuse, and life-threatening journeys," the IOM said.