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Dead Migrant Babies Wash Up On Libyan Shore After 100 Migrants Capsize En Route To Europe

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The bodies of three dead babies have washed up on the Libyan coast, shocking people and media houses around the world in a case of déjà vu for many who remember the body of three-year-old Syrian Alan Kurdi washing up on Turkish shores in 2015.

This tragic scene comes after a boat that set sail from Libya carrying 120 migrants capsized en route to Europe mere hours after a critical EU summit on migration.

Just 16 of the migrants were rescued, with the rest feared dead, including two babies and three children under the age of 12. It is being reported that the boat was carrying a number of Moroccan families – none of which survived – as well as Syrians and Sudanese.

International media were quick to report on the tragedy

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The accounts from the survivors are chilling

“When I saw the number of people on the boat, I refused to get on board, because we had been told that we would be 20 (passengers),” said 26-year-old Yemeni survivor Amri Swileh. He said the smugglers threatened to shoot him if he didn’t get in the boat, which was only 8 metres long.

Then boat’s engine exploded, causing chaos.

“I saw people burn. I lost all of my Yemeni friends who were with me. All five of them are missing,” said Amri.

“People were saying to the captain to go back to Libya but by then our engine exploded. So many people were wounded,” said 32-year-old Gambian Bakari Badi.

“Each of the other survivors held onto something, mostly empty containers,” said Kobrem, a 17-year-old survivor who clung to a rope attached to the wrecked boat for two hours until he was rescued. He also said that he had paid 340 euros to the smugglers to get a spot on the ill-fated boat.

“I saw people die: babies, children, women, men,” Kobrem said.

When the Libyan coastguard reached the capsized ship, they were forced to leave bodies of dead migrants in the sea due to a “lack of resources”.

What do you think of these images?

READ NEXT: ‘Only Some Progress’: Joseph Muscat Clinches Late Night Migration Deal With European Leaders

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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