Libya Boat incident: Remains of six Pakistani’s brought home

ISLAMABAD: The bodies of six Pakistanis who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea after their boat capsized earlier this month arrived at Islamabad Airport on Thursday.

Federal Minister for Housing and Works, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, received the bodies and expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

A total of 16 Pakistanis lost their lives on board the ill-fated boat, and the government is working to repatriate the remaining 10 bodies as soon as possible. “The February tragedy has left many families in mourning, and the government stands with them in this difficult time,” said Riaz Hussain.

Earlier on February 11, alongside many other immigrant boats, at least 16 Pakistani nationals have been confirmed dead in the tragic boat wreck off Libya’s coast, with several still unaccounted for.

The Pakistani Embassy in Tripoli confirmed the recovery of 16 bodies identified through their Pakistani passports.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, citing Pakistan’s Embassy in Tripoli, confirmed that a vessel carrying approximately 65 passengers capsized near the port of Marsa Dela in Libya.

Rescue operations are underway for the missing passengers. So far, there are 37 survivors, including one person who is hospitalized and 13 in police custody.

Two members of a human-smuggling gang – Habirur Rehman and Naveed Ahmed – have been arrested in connection with the boat capsize. The suspects took 37 lac rupees from one of the victims, promising to send him to Europe.