Libyan poisoned alcohol death toll rises to 79

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The top security official in Libya’s capital said Tuesday 79 people have died over the past four days from drinking homemade alcohol, suspected of containing poisonous methanol.

Colonel Mahmoud al-Sharif, security chief in Tripoli, said authorities are searching for two people believed to be involved in making the poisonous drinks. He said authorities are looking into whether it was the methanol or bad fermentation that caused the large number of victims.