After a violent crackdown by the armed forces, migrants and refugees in tripoli gathered outside a UN center to seek help in escaping Libya. The migrants say they have been victims of violent abuse, torture, and extortion.

Libya: Migrants in fear after a violent crackdown by forces

More than&nbsp;600&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;hoping to reach Europe from&nbsp;Libya&nbsp;have been stopped since Friday, the&nbsp;navy&nbsp;said, as the International Organization for Migration warned&nbsp;Libya&nbsp;was "not a safe port".

Three groups of illegal&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;were intercepted at sea on Friday and Saturday by&nbsp;Libya's coastguard and units in charge of securing ports, the&nbsp;navy&nbsp;said in a statement, released overnight Saturday to Sunday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/migrant-boat-with-130-aboard-capsizes-off-libya-ngo-379556">Migrant boat with 130 aboard capsizes off Libya: NGO</a>

It said the 638 people were mostly citizens from sub-Saharan African nations trying to reach Europe, and they were brought to a naval base in the capital Tripoli ahead of handing them&nbsp;over&nbsp;to an anti-immigration squad run by the interior ministry.

The&nbsp;navy&nbsp;said a first group of 334&nbsp;migrants, who were on board four inflatable boats, were "rescued" on Friday.&nbsp;

Two other groups, of 132 and 172 people, were assisted separately on Friday and Saturday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-mediterranean-migrants-tragedy-a-time-for-shame-pope-380150">Latest Mediterranean migrants tragedy a time for shame: Pope</a>

The&nbsp;navy&nbsp;did not say if the boats were sinking or had technical problems.

International agencies have repeatedly denounced the return to&nbsp;Libya&nbsp;of&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;intercepted at sea, due to the chaotic situation in the country and poor conditions in detention centres.

The IOM repeated its concerns late Saturday.

"Today, 172&nbsp;migrants, including women and children, were&nbsp;returned&nbsp;to&nbsp;Libya&nbsp;by the coast guard," it said.

"Our teams provided emergency assistance to more than&nbsp;600&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;intercepted&nbsp;over&nbsp;the past 48 hours, it added.

"We reiterate that&nbsp;Libya&nbsp;is not a safe port".

Libya&nbsp;is a major route for&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean, and traffickers have thrived in the lawlessness that followed the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

More than 600 migrants hoping to reach Europe from Libya have been stopped since Friday, the navy said, as the International Organization for Migration warned Libya was "not a safe port".

More than 600 migrants hoping to reach Europe from Libya have been stopped since Friday, the navy said, as the International Organization for Migration warned Libya was "not a safe port". Three groups of illegal migrants were intercepted at sea on Friday and Saturday by Libya's coastguard and units in charge of securing ports, the navy said in a statement, released overnight Saturday to Sunday. Also read | Migrant boat with 130 aboard capsizes off Libya: NGO It said the 638 people were mostly citizens from sub-Saharan African nations trying to reach Europe, and they were brought to a naval base in the capital Tripoli ahead of handing them over to an anti-immigration squad run by the interior ministry. The navy said a first group of 334 migrants, who were on board four inflatable boats, were "rescued" on Friday. Two other groups, of 132 and 172 people, were assisted separately on Friday and Saturday. Also read | Latest Mediterranean migrants tragedy a time for shame: Pope The navy did not say if the boats were sinking or had technical problems. International agencies have repeatedly denounced the return to Libya of migrants intercepted at sea, due to the chaotic situation in the country and poor conditions in detention centres. The IOM repeated its concerns late Saturday. "Today, 172 migrants, including women and children, were returned to Libya by the coast guard," it said. "Our teams provided emergency assistance to more than 600 migrants intercepted over the past 48 hours, it added. "We reiterate that Libya is not a safe port". Libya is a major route for migrants trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean, and traffickers have thrived in the lawlessness that followed the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Over 600 Europe-bound migrants returned to Libya: Navy

Libya has an estimated 654,000 migrants – more than 48,000 of them registered asylum seekers or refugees - many of them living in cramped conditions with little access to healthcare.

Migrants left with no food in Libya

Libya has an estimated 654,000 migrants – more than 48,000 of them registered asylum seekers or refugees - many of them living in cramped conditions with little access to healthcare. Restrictions on movement are driving them further into hardship.

Libyan migrants trapped between war and COVID-19

About 115 people are missing and feared to have drowned and another 134 were rescued by Libyan coast guards and local fishermen after a wooden boat carrying migrants capsized off Libya, a Libyan navy official said on Thursday.

Earlier, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said that up to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-150-people-feared-dead-in-shipwreck-off-libya-unhcr-238504">150 people were feared dead</a>.

"The worst Mediterranean tragedy of this year has just occurred," UNHCR head Filippo Grandi said in a tweet.

There were about 250 people on board, mainly from Eritrea and other sub-Saharan Africa and Arab countries, when the boat capsized off the coast near Komas, east of the capital Tripoli, Libyan navy spokesman Ayoub Qassem said.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/libya-shipwreck-survivor-recounts-tragedy-238602/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Libya is a hub for migrants and refugees, many of whom try to reach Europe in unseaworthy boats.

The latest shipwreck takes the death toll of Mediterranean migrants to over 600 this year, putting 2019 on track to be the sixth year in a row with more than 1,000 deaths, UNHCR spokesman Charlie Yaxley said.

"Until we address the reasons why people take these dangerous boat journeys, sadly, this is unlikely to be the last tragedy like this that we see," he said.

Yaxley said survivors of the wreck were likely to be brought to two detention centres in Libya where they would face further risks, and he called for their immediate release.

"We know that inside these detention centres there's insufficient food, water, often unsanitary conditions, there have been widespread reports of human rights violations taking place," he said.

Libya says the migrants are illegally entering and leaving the country. It regularly detains them in centres that the UN says are effectively jails, exposing them to the added risk of being caught up in the country's civil war.

One detention centre in Tripoli was hit by an air strike earlier this month, killing more than 50 people. UNHCR subsequently said it had been closed, but rescued migrants have continued to be sent there.

Human rights activists have accused politicians in the European Union of turning a blind eye and letting people die rather than risk a voter backlash by appearing soft on immigration. Europe struggled to cope with an influx of more than one million refugees and migrants in 2015.

Italy, many African migrants' intended first destination, has taken a tough line since a populist government took office in 2018, and immediately sought to close the nation's ports to rescued migrants.

About 115 people are missing and feared to have drowned and another 134 were rescued by Libyan coast guards and local fishermen after a wooden boat carrying migrants capsized off Libya, a Libyan navy official said on Thursday.

About 115 people are missing and feared to have drowned and another 134 were rescued by Libyan coast guards and local fishermen after a wooden boat carrying migrants capsized off Libya, a Libyan navy official said on Thursday. Earlier, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said that up to 150 people were feared dead. "The worst Mediterranean tragedy of this year has just occurred," UNHCR head Filippo Grandi said in a tweet. There were about 250 people on board, mainly from Eritrea and other sub-Saharan Africa and Arab countries, when the boat capsized off the coast near Komas, east of the capital Tripoli, Libyan navy spokesman Ayoub Qassem said. Watch Video: Libya is a hub for migrants and refugees, many of whom try to reach Europe in unseaworthy boats. The latest shipwreck takes the death toll of Mediterranean migrants to over 600 this year, putting 2019 on track to be the sixth year in a row with more than 1,000 deaths, UNHCR spokesman Charlie Yaxley said. "Until we address the reasons why people take these dangerous boat journeys, sadly, this is unlikely to be the last tragedy like this that we see," he said. Yaxley said survivors of the wreck were likely to be brought to two detention centres in Libya where they would face further risks, and he called for their immediate release. "We know that inside these detention centres there's insufficient food, water, often unsanitary conditions, there have been widespread reports of human rights violations taking place," he said. Libya says the migrants are illegally entering and leaving the country. It regularly detains them in centres that the UN says are effectively jails, exposing them to the added risk of being caught up in the country's civil war. One detention centre in Tripoli was hit by an air strike earlier this month, killing more than 50 people. UNHCR subsequently said it had been closed, but rescued migrants have continued to be sent there. Human rights activists have accused politicians in the European Union of turning a blind eye and letting people die rather than risk a voter backlash by appearing soft on immigration. Europe struggled to cope with an influx of more than one million refugees and migrants in 2015. Italy, many African migrants' intended first destination, has taken a tough line since a populist government took office in 2018, and immediately sought to close the nation's ports to rescued migrants.

115 people feared drowned, 134 rescued after migrant boat capsize: Libya Navy

Study details sexual horror suffered by migrants on Libya route

Some 60 people are missing and believed drowned after the dinghy they were on sank off Libya, the International Organisation for Migration said today, citing survivor testimony.

The inflatable had been carrying 140-150 people including women when it began taking on water five hours after setting off from North Africa on Monday, according to 80 survivors who were brought to safety in Italy.

&quot;They don&#39;t know how long it was before help arrived. They clung to bits of the dinghy until it fell dark, then a boat arrived and they were rescued,&quot; IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo told AFP.

The survivors were later transferred to the British military ship HMS Echo, which is currently operating in the Mediterranean as part of the EU&#39;s anti-trafficking Operation Sophia.

They were among 550 people the HMS Echo disembarked in the Italian port of Brindisi on Friday, following an intense week of rescues at sea.

With smugglers taking advantage of a spell of good weather and calm seas, more than 10,000 people were rescued from rickety boats off Libya since Sunday alone.

Nearly 77,000 migrants have landed in Italy since January, up 15 percent on the same period in 2016.

The latest deaths increase the toll of people dying attempting the crossing or missing, feared drowned, to nearly 2,100 since the beginning of 2017.&nbsp;

The inflatable had been carrying 140-150 people including women when it began taking on water five hours after setting off from North Africa on Monday

Some 60 people are missing and believed drowned after the dinghy they were on sank off Libya, the International Organisation for Migration said today, citing survivor testimony. The inflatable had been carrying 140-150 people including women when it began taking on water five hours after setting off from North Africa on Monday, according to 80 survivors who were brought to safety in Italy. "They don't know how long it was before help arrived. They clung to bits of the dinghy until it fell dark, then a boat arrived and they were rescued," IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo told AFP. The survivors were later transferred to the British military ship HMS Echo, which is currently operating in the Mediterranean as part of the EU's anti-trafficking Operation Sophia. They were among 550 people the HMS Echo disembarked in the Italian port of Brindisi on Friday, following an intense week of rescues at sea. With smugglers taking advantage of a spell of good weather and calm seas, more than 10,000 people were rescued from rickety boats off Libya since Sunday alone. Nearly 77,000 migrants have landed in Italy since January, up 15 percent on the same period in 2016. The latest deaths increase the toll of people dying attempting the crossing or missing, feared drowned, to nearly 2,100 since the beginning of 2017.

60 missing feared drowned after boat sinks off Libya

Some 2,300 migrants headed for Italy in 22 barely seaworthy vessels were rescued off the Libyan coast on Thursday, the Italian coastguard said.

Coastguard and military vessels joined forces with others chartered by humanitarian organisations to come to the rescue of the migrants, who were packed into 10 wooden boats and 12 rubber dinghies.

&quot;About 2,300 migrants were rescued in the Mediterranean today,&quot; the coastguard said in a statement.

Prudence, a vessel chartered by medical charity Medecins sans Frontieres, picked up 770 people, many of them young children -- one a baby aged just six weeks, it said.

SOS Mediterranee&#39;s and MSF&#39;s Aquarius vessel rescued 560 people and Phoenix, chartered by Maltese NGO &nbsp;Moas, hauled in another 360.

Some 46,000 migrants had reached the Italian coast this year even before Thursday&#39;s drama, around a third up on the same period last year, according to the Italian interior ministry.

At least 1,229 people have drowned making the perilous trip, according to the International Organization for Migration -- one death for every 39 persons rescued.

The latest wave of people picked up comes as Italy beefs up security ahead of next week&#39;s G7 summit at Taormina in Sicily.

The summit poses a challenge given that local authorities on the island have banned migrants from disembarking at Sicilian ports.

Southern mainland ports or and those in the of Sardinia will instead take the strain.

(Reuters)

Coastguard and military vessels joined forces with others chartered by humanitarian organisations to come to the rescue of the migrants

Some 2,300 migrants headed for Italy in 22 barely seaworthy vessels were rescued off the Libyan coast on Thursday, the Italian coastguard said. Coastguard and military vessels joined forces with others chartered by humanitarian organisations to come to the rescue of the migrants, who were packed into 10 wooden boats and 12 rubber dinghies. "About 2,300 migrants were rescued in the Mediterranean today," the coastguard said in a statement. Prudence, a vessel chartered by medical charity Medecins sans Frontieres, picked up 770 people, many of them young children -- one a baby aged just six weeks, it said. SOS Mediterranee's and MSF's Aquarius vessel rescued 560 people and Phoenix, chartered by Maltese NGO Moas, hauled in another 360. Some 46,000 migrants had reached the Italian coast this year even before Thursday's drama, around a third up on the same period last year, according to the Italian interior ministry. At least 1,229 people have drowned making the perilous trip, according to the International Organization for Migration -- one death for every 39 persons rescued. The latest wave of people picked up comes as Italy beefs up security ahead of next week's G7 summit at Taormina in Sicily. The summit poses a challenge given that local authorities on the island have banned migrants from disembarking at Sicilian ports. Southern mainland ports or and those in the of Sardinia will instead take the strain. (Reuters)

2,300 migrants rescued off Libya: Italian coastguard

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.

(Reuters)

A Red Crescent spokesman said the bodies had been recovered on Monday and the migrants appeared to have died during the past 2 days

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. (Reuters)

Bodies of 74 migrants wash ashore in Libya

At least eight migrants died when their boat overturned off the coast of Libya on Saturday but the death toll may be much higher, the Italian coastguard said.

Four people have been rescued but the survivors reported that more than a hundred were on board when the boat capsized around 30 miles (50 km) off Libya, a coastguard spokesman said.

French and Italian naval and merchant vessels, as well as a plane and a helicopter, were involved in rescue operations, the spokesman said.

In the previous 24 hours, coastguard and naval ships as well as privately owned fishing and merchant vessels had saved around 750 migrants from rubber and wooden boats in the central Mediterranean, but also recovered five dead bodies, the coastguard said.

The spokesman could give no details on the nationalities of those saved or those who died.

Last year, a record 181,000 boat migrants, mostly from Africa, reached Italy, according to government figures. The majority paid Libyan people traffickers to make the journey.

Last year was also the deadliest on record for migrants in the Mediterranean, with almost 5,000 deaths, according to the International Organization for Migration.

(Reuters)

But the survivors reported that more than a hundred were on board when the boat capsized 30 miles off Libya

At least eight migrants died when their boat overturned off the coast of Libya on Saturday but the death toll may be much higher, the Italian coastguard said. Four people have been rescued but the survivors reported that more than a hundred were on board when the boat capsized around 30 miles (50 km) off Libya, a coastguard spokesman said. French and Italian naval and merchant vessels, as well as a plane and a helicopter, were involved in rescue operations, the spokesman said. In the previous 24 hours, coastguard and naval ships as well as privately owned fishing and merchant vessels had saved around 750 migrants from rubber and wooden boats in the central Mediterranean, but also recovered five dead bodies, the coastguard said. The spokesman could give no details on the nationalities of those saved or those who died. Last year, a record 181,000 boat migrants, mostly from Africa, reached Italy, according to government figures. The majority paid Libyan people traffickers to make the journey. Last year was also the deadliest on record for migrants in the Mediterranean, with almost 5,000 deaths, according to the International Organization for Migration. (Reuters)

8 migrants dead, four rescued as boat capsizes in Mediterranean

Ten bodies were found Saturday in a rubber dinghy off the Libyan coast, the Italian coastguard said.

2,200 other migrants were rescued during the day, news agency AFP reported.

Some 16 rescue operations were conducted on Saturday to save migrants stranded on boats off the coast.

1,200 people, including babies and children, were rescued on Friday.&nbsp;

AFP reported that one of its correspondents aboard the Topaz Responder, a search and rescue ship chartered by Maltese NGO MOAS and the Italian Red Cross, saw several hundred people, including children, being rescued on Friday and Saturday.

The Red Cross tweeted that 707 people were on board the vessel on Saturday.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

2,200 other migrants were rescued during the day

Ten bodies were found Saturday in a rubber dinghy off the Libyan coast, the Italian coastguard said. 2,200 other migrants were rescued during the day, news agency AFP reported. Some 16 rescue operations were conducted on Saturday to save migrants stranded on boats off the coast. 1,200 people, including babies and children, were rescued on Friday. AFP reported that one of its correspondents aboard the Topaz Responder, a search and rescue ship chartered by Maltese NGO MOAS and the Italian Red Cross, saw several hundred people, including children, being rescued on Friday and Saturday. The Red Cross tweeted that 707 people were on board the vessel on Saturday. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Ten bodies found in dinghy off Libyan coast

At least 239 migrants have died in two shipwrecks off Libya, a spokesman for the United Nations migration agency said on Thursday, news agency Reuters reported.

The migrants are believed to be from West Africa.

One group of migrants, including about 20 women and six children, set off in a rubber dinghy from Libya around 3 am on Wednesday, but their boat collapsed after a few hours, said Flavio di Giacomo, a spokesman for the UN&#39;s International Organisation for Migration, who cited accounts by survivors, Reuters reported.

Reuters further reported, by the time rescuers arrived, most had drowned. About 27 people survived the shipwreck, including three babies.

About the same time, another rubber dinghy carrying at least 130 people suffered a shipwreck. Two women who survived the disaster reported the incident.

The International Organisation for Migration said with the latest incidents the death toll has gone up to 4,220 in the Mediterranean so far this year, compared with 3,777 in the whole of 2015.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

By the time rescuers arrived, most migrants from the two ships had drowned. Only 27 had survived

At least 239 migrants have died in two shipwrecks off Libya, a spokesman for the United Nations migration agency said on Thursday, news agency Reuters reported. The migrants are believed to be from West Africa. One group of migrants, including about 20 women and six children, set off in a rubber dinghy from Libya around 3 am on Wednesday, but their boat collapsed after a few hours, said Flavio di Giacomo, a spokesman for the UN's International Organisation for Migration, who cited accounts by survivors, Reuters reported. Reuters further reported, by the time rescuers arrived, most had drowned. About 27 people survived the shipwreck, including three babies. About the same time, another rubber dinghy carrying at least 130 people suffered a shipwreck. Two women who survived the disaster reported the incident. The International Organisation for Migration said with the latest incidents the death toll has gone up to 4,220 in the Mediterranean so far this year, compared with 3,777 in the whole of 2015. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

239 migrants die in two shipwrecks off Libya: UN

25 men and women were found dead in the Central Mediterranean, French aid group Doctors without Borders (MSF) said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

According to MSF, the bodies were found in an overcrowded rubber boat some 26 nautical miles from the Libyan coastline.

107 people from the same boat were picked up by rescue ship, Bourbon Argos, MSF said, adding that an additional 139 people were rescued from a nearby rubber raft.

&ldquo;When we got to the first boat, we brought the 107 survivors on board but couldn&rsquo;t recover what we thought were up to 11 dead bodies because we were called to another urgent rescue nearby,&rdquo; Michele Telaro, MSF&rsquo;s field coordinator of the rescue ship said in a statement.

The crew returned to the first vessel and found on closer examination that in fact, 25 people had died, probably from suffocation, burns or drowning.

Among the rescued people, 23 were in need of medical treatment for chemical burns; 11 of the cases were classified as severe, MSF said.

(WION)

 
&nbsp;

MSF said its chartered rescue ship picked up 107 people aboard the boat 26 nautical miles off Libya on Tuesday

25 men and women were found dead in the Central Mediterranean, French aid group Doctors without Borders (MSF) said on Wednesday. According to MSF, the bodies were found in an overcrowded rubber boat some 26 nautical miles from the Libyan coastline. 107 people from the same boat were picked up by rescue ship, Bourbon Argos, MSF said, adding that an additional 139 people were rescued from a nearby rubber raft. “When we got to the first boat, we brought the 107 survivors on board but couldn’t recover what we thought were up to 11 dead bodies because we were called to another urgent rescue nearby,” Michele Telaro, MSF’s field coordinator of the rescue ship said in a statement. The crew returned to the first vessel and found on closer examination that in fact, 25 people had died, probably from suffocation, burns or drowning. Among the rescued people, 23 were in need of medical treatment for chemical burns; 11 of the cases were classified as severe, MSF said. (WION)

25 found dead in Mediterranean migrant boat: MSF

At least 1,800 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast today, the Italian coastguard announced, adding that similar operations were underway around 15 other overloaded vessels.

The latest efforts came a day after more than 6,000 migrants were saved while making a perilous Mediterranean crossing. Italian authorities said nine corpses had been found, while the Libyan coastguard said the bodies of 11 women and two children had been retrieved.

The 1,800 migrants were rescued from 16 crammed boats. A helicopter had to be used to evacuate four people, including a pregnant woman suffering from medical complications, the coastguard said.

Today morning an AFP photographer travelling on the Astral, a ship chartered by Spanish organisation ProActiva Open Arms, said he saw several hundred migrants awaiting rescue in packed vessels.

He said one fishing trawler appeared to be carrying 1,000 people crammed into its three levels.

&quot;There are people jumping into the water,&quot; he said, adding that a Spanish military aircraft had dropped lifeboats while the migrants waited for rescue ships to arrive.

ProActiva Open Arms is a Barcelona-based body whose main mission is to rescue migrants from the&nbsp;sea.

The latest people to be rescued will add to a total of some 132,000 migrants who have landed at Italy&#39;s southern ports so far this year, fleeing conflict, poverty or persecution and hoping to start new lives in Europe.

(AFP)

The latest efforts came a day after more than 6,000 migrants were saved while making a perilous Mediterranean crossing

At least 1,800 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast today, the Italian coastguard announced, adding that similar operations were underway around 15 other overloaded vessels. The latest efforts came a day after more than 6,000 migrants were saved while making a perilous Mediterranean crossing. Italian authorities said nine corpses had been found, while the Libyan coastguard said the bodies of 11 women and two children had been retrieved. The 1,800 migrants were rescued from 16 crammed boats. A helicopter had to be used to evacuate four people, including a pregnant woman suffering from medical complications, the coastguard said. Today morning an AFP photographer travelling on the Astral, a ship chartered by Spanish organisation ProActiva Open Arms, said he saw several hundred migrants awaiting rescue in packed vessels. He said one fishing trawler appeared to be carrying 1,000 people crammed into its three levels. "There are people jumping into the water," he said, adding that a Spanish military aircraft had dropped lifeboats while the migrants waited for rescue ships to arrive. ProActiva Open Arms is a Barcelona-based body whose main mission is to rescue migrants from the sea. The latest people to be rescued will add to a total of some 132,000 migrants who have landed at Italy's southern ports so far this year, fleeing conflict, poverty or persecution and hoping to start new lives in Europe. (AFP)

1,800 migrants rescued off Libya

A total of 3,324 migrants were rescued off Libya on Sunday in 26 different operations, the Italian coastguard said, bringing to more than 10,000 the total saved since Thursday. 
 
There were no reports of confirmed or suspected casualties after the operations to pick up migrants packed on to 25 rubber dinghies and one wooden boat all of which were rescued less than 35 miles from the Libyan coast. 
 
Coastguard and navy boats took part in the rescues, along with vessels operated by Eunavformed, the EU borders agency Frontex and the charities Doctors without Borders (MSF) and Sea Watch. 
 
The migrants were all being transferred to southern Italian ports. The latest rescues pushes to more than 66,000 the number of mostly African migrants to arrive in Italy since the start of 2016, according to figures compiled by the UN refugee agency. 
 
The rate of arrivals is broadly in line with the pattern of last year, with officials attributing this week&#39;s high figure to calm sea conditions, which make it less risky sending overcrowded boats out to sea from Libyan ports. 
 
More than 10,000 migrants have died trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean since 2014, just over a quarter of the casualties having happened this year. 
 
(AFP)

The latest operations take up the number of rescued migrants to arrive in Italy, mostly Africans, to 66,000 since the start of 2016

A total of 3,324 migrants were rescued off Libya on Sunday in 26 different operations, the Italian coastguard said, bringing to more than 10,000 the total saved since Thursday. There were no reports of confirmed or suspected casualties after the operations to pick up migrants packed on to 25 rubber dinghies and one wooden boat all of which were rescued less than 35 miles from the Libyan coast. Coastguard and navy boats took part in the rescues, along with vessels operated by Eunavformed, the EU borders agency Frontex and the charities Doctors without Borders (MSF) and Sea Watch. The migrants were all being transferred to southern Italian ports. The latest rescues pushes to more than 66,000 the number of mostly African migrants to arrive in Italy since the start of 2016, according to figures compiled by the UN refugee agency. The rate of arrivals is broadly in line with the pattern of last year, with officials attributing this week's high figure to calm sea conditions, which make it less risky sending overcrowded boats out to sea from Libyan ports. More than 10,000 migrants have died trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean since 2014, just over a quarter of the casualties having happened this year. (AFP)

Italian coastguard rescue 3,300 migrants off Libya

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