Libya Rescues 20 Boats Carrying Thousands of Europe-Bound Migrants
Tripoli – The Libyan Navy announced on Friday that it had rescued at least 20 boats that had been transporting thousands of migrants to Europe. They had departed Libya from the city of Sabratha and were headed to Italy. “Large rescue and interception operations are under way,” navy spokesman General Ayoub Qassem said. “Today is the day of a massive exodus of illegal migrants toward Europe.” The Libyan coastguard, fishing and commercial boats were working in coordination with the Italian authorities, he said. A Libyan oil tanker picked up 562 migrants, including dozens of women and children, and took them to Tripoli, a Libyan coastguard official said. Another group of migrants, whose size was not given, were taken to Zawiya, 50 kilometers (30 miles) to the west, this source said. In Rome, the Italian coastguard said it had sent several vessels and rerouted commercial ships to pick up 850 migrants. However, three other boats laden with migrants were in distress.