TRIPOLI, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 illegal immigrants died at sea off Libyan coast after a shipwreck, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday.
"At least 13 lives are lost at sea and three bodies retrieved after a tragic shipwreck occurred off the coast of Libya last night," IOM tweeted.
"IOM staff are now providing medical assistance to 22 survivors brought to shore by fishing vessels," it said.
Following the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been plagued by insecurity and chaos that prompts thousands of illegal immigrants to attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe from the country.
According to the IOM, thousands of illegal migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya in 2020.
Many illegal immigrants, who were either rescued at sea or arrested by authorities, have remained detained in overcrowded centers in Libya despite repeated international calls to close these centers. Enditem
