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Libyan Coast Guards rescue 80 migrants

Libyan Coast Guard rescued, Wednesday, about 80 illegal migrants who were on board a ‘rubber boat’ off the coast of Libya, including 6 women and 3 children.

Most of the migrants were reported to be Sudanese nationals, in addition to different African nationalities.

On Sunday, Libyan Coast Guard rescued 73 illegal migrants and recovered two bodies after their boat capsized about 14 kilometers off Qarabulli town, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced

At least 25 others are still missing, IOM added.

The rescued migrants include 40 men, 25 women, and eight children from Sudan, Kenya, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria.

According to the U.N. migration agency, 2,297 migrants died or went missing in the Mediterranean last year out of a total of 116,959 people who reached Europe by sea.

Libya’s western coast has become the main departure point for migrants especially since the country dove into chaos with the toppling of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011

Improved weather conditions have increased the flows towards Europe

The coast guard has stepped up patrols after receiving new boats from Italy as part of efforts by the far-right government there to stop migrants reaching Italian shores from Africa.

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