Libyan security forces discovered the migrants just east of the coastal town Zuwara after following up on a tip about a suspicious vehicle. Around one hundred migrants were locked up inside the truck. Six children, a woman and a young man died of suffocation, they said.

Another 90 migrants had to be hospitalized for respiratory problems. The local hospital in Zuwara about 110 km west of Tripoli was placed in a state of emergency to deal with the large number of people.

According to AFP, Libyan security forces could not yet determine how long the migrants had been locked up inside. Smugglers had transported the migrants inside a refrigerated truck that is usually used to ship meat and fish, the Libyan Navy said on its Facebook page.

The migrants were from various sub-Saharan African and Arab countries, as well as Pakistan and Bangladesh, Reuters reports.

Smuggling networks

Zuwara is one of the main points for departure along Libya’s coastline. Smugglers and traffickers detain migrants here before sending them on boats to cross the Mediterranean.

In recent weeks, hundreds of migrants attempting the journey were rescued or died close to the Libyan coast.

Since Libya descended into a state of chaos after dictator Moamer Gaddafi was toppled in 2011, smugglers and traffickers have taken advantage of Libya's lawlessness and human trafficking has thrived.