Libyan Navy Announces Death of 11 Illegal Migrants, Rescues 83

Published April 23rd, 2018 - 07:16 GMT
A Libyan coast guardsman stands on a boat during the rescue of 147 illegal immigrants attempting to reach Europe off the coastal town of Zawiyah. (AFP/ File Photo)
A Libyan coast guardsman stands on a boat during the rescue of 147 illegal immigrants attempting to reach Europe off the coastal town of Zawiyah. (AFP/ File Photo)

Libyan naval forces on Sunday announced the death of 11 undocumented migrants, and the rescue of another 83.

In a statement, the naval forces affiliated with the national consensus government said the bodies were found afloat on early Sunday, five miles off the coast of northwestern Sabrata city.

Those rescued from a plastic boat were from different African nationalities, it added.

They were later handed over to Libya’s anti-illegal immigration agency in northwestern Zawiya district.

Ever since the collapse of the central authority in Libya in 2011, the country’s northwestern coast has become a hub for illegal migration to Italy and other countries in Europe.

Libya represents a major transit point for African migrants seeking access to Europe.

This article has been adapted from its original source.

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