Egypt follows up on safety of citizens in sinking boat off Libyan coast - Foreign Affairs
The ministry said the Egyptian Consulate General in Benghazi dispatched a delegation to the city of Tobruk immediately upon receiving information regarding the incident.
The consulate promptly started coordinating with the relevant Libyan authorities to check the safety of the Egyptians who were aboard the boat.
Upon identifying some bodies, necessary procedures were taken to transfer them to the land border crossing after being identified by their relatives in Egypt.
The consulate is also coordinating with the Libyan side to complete the procedures for transferring other bodies once identified.
Moreover, it is monitoring the conditions of several survivors in preparation for their repatriation once the ongoing investigations are concluded.
The ministry affirmed that it will continue to follow up with the consulate regarding all procedures related to the transfer of the deceased citizens' bodies and expedite the return of survivors to Egypt.
It urged all citizens to refrain from resorting to irregular migration routes due to the grave dangers they entail, as well as the risk of exploitation by human trafficking networks.
"Egypt is committed to providing safe alternatives and lawful opportunities for youth, whether through training or qualification programmes or by expanding avenues for regular migration via official channels with partner countries," the ministry affirmed.
On Thursday, 18 migrants lost their lives in a shipwreck off the coast of Tobruk, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement.
Egypt continues its efforts to combat irregular migration through border security, regional cooperation, and development initiatives, addressing root causes and enhancing legal pathways in coordination with European and African partners.
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