Coast guard rescue dozens of migrants off Tripoli

The Libyan Coast Guard rescued 138 migrants on Wednesday after the boat they were travelling in capsized off the Libyan coast.

Among them were nine women and two children, who were transported to the naval base in Tripoli, where they received the necessary first aid, officials said.

The rescue came a day after two women and three children drowned when another boat carrying dozens of Europe-bound migrants capsized off Libya

The accident occurred late on Tuesday, and a fishing boat and the Libyan Coast Guard had managed to rescue some 77 migrants and bring them back to shore.

In total, nearly 400 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya late Tuesday, and according to the International Organization for Migration at least 480 other migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya on Sunday.

Tuesday’s deadly shipwreck was the latest along the Central Mediterranean migration route. More than 55 migrants were reported dead last month off Libya.

Libya has emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East.

The oil-rich country plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.