(MENAFN) At least three Libyan youths lost their lives Sunday evening in a boat explosion off the coast of Zawiya, roughly 60 kilometers west of Tripoli, according to a Libyan newspaper.

The victims have been identified as Mohamed Ben Shtwan, Anwar Al-Majdoub, and Nasser Sultan. The newspaper reported that additional casualties are involved, but their identities remain unknown.

The exact timing and cause of the blast were not disclosed in the report, and no official statements have yet been issued regarding the incident.

Libya has served as a critical transit hub for migrants aiming to reach Europe since the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that ousted Muammar Gaddafi. The ongoing political fragmentation and insecurity have allowed smuggling networks to flourish, leaving migrants vulnerable to brutal conditions in detention centers and frequent Mediterranean tragedies, including shipwrecks and fires.

The country remains divided between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and an eastern authority allied with Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army.

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