More than 100 migrants rescued off Libyan coast

More than 100 migrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast as they were trying to reach Italy’s shores.

Authorities in Libya say the migrants were returned to the country’s capital where they were transferred to an illegal migrants’ facility.

Since the start of 2014, the country has become a major route for migrants seeking to reach Europe with more than 300,000 people making it through.

But traffickers have also taken advantage of the conflict the country faces between the rival governments and armed factions, to transport the migrants to Europe.

#Libya Italy rescues hundreds of migrants at sea, recovers body: ROME, March 18 (Reuters) – Italian ships pick… https://t.co/4kOmb0Gdqr

— North-Africa Watch ® (@NorAfroWatch) March 18, 2016

Numbers arriving from Libya have always fluctuated in line with weather conditions in the Mediterranean and other factors.

Of the 3,700 migrant deaths in the Mediterranean in 2015, 2000 of these occurred en route to Italy from North Africa.

According to the U.N. refugee agency, 9,800 migrants have arrived in Italy this year compared with 7,400 in the same period last year.

Hundreds of packed boats often overcrowded with migrants from North Africa and Turkey make it through to reach Greek and Italian shores since the two countries are on the frontline of Europe’s migration crisis.