Bodies of six migrants recovered near Libyan coastal city, Red Crescent says

At least six bodies of migrants were recovered after they washed ashore near the Libyan city of Misrata, a Red Crescent volunteer said.

Libya, following the toppling of leader Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, has become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe via the dangerous route across the desert and over the Mediterranean.

Four bodies were recovered on Thursday morning and two more on Thursday evening, said Makhlouf Karim, head of the rescue department in Misrata's Red Crescent branch.

Karim said the coast near Misrata, a city some 200 km (125 miles) east of Tripoli, was still being patrolled in case more bodies washed ashore.

In February, Libyan security authorities recovered dozens of bodies from mass graves in two different locations in the country’s southeast region. The country's oil-based economy is also a draw for migrants seeking work.