115 migrants rescued off Libyan coast

By Walid Abdullah

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) – At least 115 undocumented migrants have been rescued off Libya's northwestern coast, the Libyan navy said on Sunday.

In a statement, naval forces affiliated with Libya’s UN-recognized unity government said the migrants were rescued 10 miles north of the town of Sorman.

The migrants were all Africans, the statement added.

On Friday, at least 100 undocumented migrants drowned after their boat sank off Libya’s coast in the Mediterranean Sea.

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.