More than 400 migrants rescued at sea off Libya

Over 400 migrants mainly from the Africa have been rescued by aid agencies off the coast of Libya.

Spanish authorities say the rescue operation took place after they were found floating in a wooden boat. The exercise took place after a notification came in from Italian authorities.

Proactiva’s rescue boat, the ‘Golfo Azzurro’ and rescue vessels from two other aid organizations immediately headed to the area. The 17 metre wooden craft contained migrants mainly from Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Gambia, as well as Bangladesh, a Spanish aid organization said.

They included 16 women and two children. Some of the migrants were suffering from sea sickness.

The evacuation of the wooden boat lasted almost five hours, officials said. The migrants will be taken to Sicily.

On March 23 five migrants were pulled dead from the sea off the coast of Libya in another rescue operation.