Five aid mission members killed in Libya road accident: Greek minister

A sanitation worker disinfects rubble, amid rising concerns of spread of infectious diseases, as dead bodies started to decompose following floods in Derna, Libya on Sept. 17, 2023. (Reuters)
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  • Fifteen of the Greek rescue team were injured, including seven in a critical condition
  • Two of the Libyan family were also critical

ATHENS: Five members of a Greek humanitarian aid mission were killed in a road accident in Libya on Sunday, including two civilians, the Greek Defense Minister said in a statement on Monday.

Minister Nikos Dendias announced three days of national mourning in the Greek Armed Forces.

Othman Abduljaleel, the health minister for the Libyan eastern government, told a televised news conference on Sunday that four members had been killed and 15 injured, including seven in critical condition.

“The causes and circumstances of the incident are being investigated in cooperation with the Libyan authorities, while an operation is underway to gather the personnel in Benghazi and repatriate them,” an earlier statement said.

Thousands of people were killed after two dams above Libya’s eastern city of Derna broke on Sept. 10 during a powerful storm, bringing down residential blocks lining a usually dry riverbed as people slept. Many bodies have been washed out to sea.