TRIPOLI, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Wednesday that at least 15 illegal immigrants died in a shipwreck off Libya's western coast, while five survivors were brought to shore by fishermen.
"Desperate migrants continue to risk their lives in the Central Med fleeing abuse and exploitation, in the absence of life-saving capacity," the IOM said in a tweet.
The IOM recently revealed that more than 200 illegal immigrants died and over 280 others went missing on the Central Mediterranean route so far this year.
Nearly 10,000 illegal immigrants were rescued off Libyan coast so far in 2020, while the total number was 9,225 last year, it said.
Ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a preferred departure point for migrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean toward European shores.
The IOM has repeatedly said that Libya is not a safe port for migrants' disembarkation due to the deteriorating security condition in the country. Enditem
