The IOM said the circumstances of their death and nationalities remain unknown, but it is believed that they died in the process of being smuggled through the desert.

The body said it is 'profoundly shocked and alarmed' by the discovery of the bodies.

Libyan authorities have started investigating the incident.

“Each report of a missing migrant or a loss of life represents a grieving family searching for answers about their loved ones or acknowledging the tragedy of the loss,” said an IOM Spokesperson. “The cost of inadequate action is evident in the increasing human deaths and the disturbing conditions migrants find themselves in.”

"This latest tragedy highlights the urgent need to address the challenges of irregular migration including through a coordinated response to the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. Without regular pathways that provide opportunities for legal migration, such tragedies will continue to be a feature along this route," read the statement issued by IOM.

According to the Missing Migrants Project, at least 3,129 deaths and disappearances have been recorded in 2023 along the Mediterranean route – the deadliest migratory route, not including this latest incident.