TRIPOLI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Friday said that more than 80 illegal immigrants have been rescued off Libyan coast.
"Over 80 migrants were returned to Libya by the coast guard. So far this year, some 300 people, including women and children, were returned to the country and ended up in detention," IOM tweeted.
IOM revealed on Wednesday that some 40 illegal immigrants drowned off Libyan coast, stressing the need to "re-activate state-led search and rescue operations."
Thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe, due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the North African nation following the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Enditem
