Egyptian authorities recovered the bodies of 10 suspected illegal immigrants on the beach of the Azizia area, west of the city of Barani in Marsa Matrouh Governorate, on Saturday evening – the second day of Eid al-Adha – RT reported on Monday.
According to medical sources, the bodies included a Libyan citizen, a Sudanese citizen, and eight Egyptians from Assiut Governorate.
The deceased were transferred to Marsa Matrouh General Hospital, where they were placed under the disposal of the Public Prosecution office for investigation and accurate identification.
The sources revealed that initial investigations indicate that the boat carrying the victims departed from a beach in eastern Libya, between the areas of Musaid and Derna, the site of intense activity by human traffickers.
Egyptian sources suggested that the traffickers’ use of boats unfit for long-distance navigation was one of the causes of the accident.
The sources added that medical authorities notified the security services immediately after the bodies were found.
Search and investigation teams were formed in coordination with the Health Directorate to determine the cause of death and the approximate timing of the drownings.
The Matrouh Governorate called to intensify awareness campaigns in the governorates that export the most illegal immigrants, especially Assiut, to warn youth of the dangers of illegal immigration, the sources added.
Illegal immigration across the Mediterranean is one of the most dangerous routes for those seeking to reach Europe, as migrants rely on unsafe boats and human traffickers who exploit their difficult living conditions.
Egyptian authorities work to combat this phenomenon by intensifying coastal surveillance, imposing harsher penalties on smugglers, and launching awareness campaigns, but the challenge remains due to the continued demand for migration.
