In flood-stricken Libya, three members of a Greek rescue team died in a road accident on Sunday. Authorities controlling the eastern part of the country said the tragedy occurred shortly after their arrival.
Greeks were to take part in relief operations after the devastating floods. “The bus carrying a 19-person Greek team was on its way from Benghazi to Derna, 300 km to the east, when it collided head-on with a truck, as a result of which both vehicles burst into flames,” wrote the Kathimerini website, citing the Greek army.
Initially, the authorities controlling the eastern part of the country reported four deaths, and the Ministry of Health in the eastern part Libya Otman Abdeljalil said at a press conference that 15 people were injured, seven of them seriously. On the night from Sunday to Monday, the Greek army reported that three members of the Greek rescue team had been killed and two were missing.
The accident took place in LibyaEPA/PAGE
Libya is in chaos
Floods in Libya, caused by rainfall and the bursting of dams, have killed over 11,000 people and left thousands missing. According to local authorities, the number of dead may reach up to 20,000. The city of Derna was most affected by the disaster.
After the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, Libya plunged into chaos that continues to this day. The government in Tripoli does not control the entire territory of the country, which is divided by warring centers of power and numerous armed groups. This government does not control the eastern part of Libya.
Main photo source: EPA/PAGE