18 more Bangladeshis feared dead after Europe-bound boats capsize off Libya

Eighteen more Bangladesh nationals are feared dead in two Europe-bound boats capsize in the Mediterranean.

Six have already been declared dead.

bdnews24.com on Saturday contacted chargé d'affaires Mozammel Haque of the Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli, which is being run from Tunisia due to conflict in Libya, over the tragedy.

“The rescued Bangladeshis at the Libyan detention centres told labour counsellor Ashraful Islam that 18 more Bangladeshis were missing,” he said.

“We fear that none of them is alive,” he added.

Haque also said the Libyan coastguards were yet to say anything about the bodies of the dead Bangladeshis as all the recovered bodies were in ‘bad shape’.

He said they were talking about release of the rescued Bangladeshis lodged at the detention centres.

“I hope we’ll be able to return them,” he said.

More than 200 people are feared dead after two boats carrying around 500 migrants capsized near the Libyan port of Zuwara on Friday.

Rescuers have pulled out 82 bodies from the water and saved 198 people, BBC says quoting an official with the Red Crescent.

Of the 78 Bangladeshis among the boat people, 54 were rescued, labour counsellor Ashraful Islam told bdnews24.com from Zuwara on Friday.