285 Migrants Intercepted Off Libya’s Coast Amid Ongoing Crisis

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Monday that 285 migrants were intercepted and returned off the coast of Libya in the past week, Xinhua reported yesterday.

Among those returned were at least three children, while three bodies were recovered, and 12 individuals remain missing.

This year alone, a total of 19,295 migrants have been intercepted in similar operations, with 568 confirmed dead and 783 others unaccounted for in the Mediterranean.

Libya has become a major departure point for migrants, primarily from Africa, seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe, largely due to the instability that has followed the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The ongoing insecurity continues to drive many to attempt perilous journeys in search of better opportunities.