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86 illegal migrants rescued off Libyan coast: IOM
TRIPOLI, Jan 22, 2021 (BSS/XINHUA) – The International Organization for
Migration (IOM) on Thursday said that 86 illegal migrants have been rescued
off Libyan coast.
“Today 86 migrants, including 7 women and 19 children, were returned to
Libya by the coast guard,” the IOM tweeted.
“IOM staff onsite provided emergency support including medical
assistance,” it said.
Thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the
Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe, due to insecurity and chaos in the
nation following the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
In 2020, 323 migrants died and 417 others went missing on the central
Mediterranean route, while 11,891 illegal migrants were rescued and returned
to Libya, according to the IOM.
BSS/XINHUA/GMR/0957 hrs