Libyan coast guards rescue 180 migrants off Tripoli

By Hamdi Yildiz

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) - Libyan coast guards rescued 180 undocumented migrants, including 15 women and 7 children, on Sunday off the coast of eastern Tripoli, local authorities said.

According to a statement issued by the Libyan coast guard, the migrants were located 36 miles from the east of the capital Tripoli.

Egyptian, Syrian and African migrants were found in an inflatable boat, the statement added.

According to the Libyan Navy, 16,000 undocumented migrants were rescued in 2017.

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, especially Italy.