TRIPOLI, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan navy said on Friday that it spotted no capsized boat carrying illegal immigrants off the coast of the western city of Zuwara, some 120 km west of the capital Tripoli.
"No capsized boat was found carrying immigrants off Zuwara coast. After contacts with the competent authorities and the Coast Guard patrols, we confirm that reports about a capsized immigrants boat off the city's coast is not true," Ayob Qassem, the Libyan navy spokesman, told Xinhua.
According to the spokesman, 10 decomposed bodies belonging to the immigrants, whose boat reportedly capsized in early Februrary, were discovered in the past 48 hours.
One of the bodies was identified as a Libyan young man previously reported missing by his family, he added.
Qassem also said the current weather conditions are not suitable for departure of migrant boats, calling for accurate reporting of such information.
Local and international media said on Friday that a boat carrying more than 100 migrants, including 80 Libyans, capsized off the coast of Zuwara.
In early February, international media reported that a boat carrying 90 immigrants capsized off Zuwara, before the Libyan navy denied it after searching the city's coast.
Since the 2011 uprising in Libya, insecurity and chaos in the country has made it a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean toward European shores.
