The bodies of 74 migrants have been found washed up on a beach near the western Libya city of Zawiya, a Red Crescent spokesman said on Tuesday.

Mohamed al-Misrati said the bodies had been recovered on Monday and that the migrants appeared to have died during the past two days.

The migrants were all adults, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, and all but three of them were men, Misrati said.

Libya is the main departure point for migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea, and the bodies of those who drown attempting the risky crossing are frequently found washed up on Libyan shores.