86 Illegal Migrants Rescued off Libyan Coast: IOM

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Thursday that 86 illegal migrants have been rescued off Libya's coast.

“Today 86 migrants, including 7 women and 19 children, were returned to Libya by the coast guard,” the IOM tweeted, reports Xinhua.  

“IOM staff onsite provided emergency support including medical assistance,” it said.

Thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, have chosen to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Europe because of the country's insecurity and chaos following the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

In 2020, 323 migrants died and 417 others were missing on the central Mediterranean route, while 11,891 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, according to the IOM.