IOM Rescues 163 Migrants Off Libyan Coast in a Week

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 163 illegal migrants, including women and children, were rescued off Libya’s coast last week. The operation, conducted from November 19 to 25, also involved the recovery of one deceased migrant.

In 2022, the IOM has recorded a total of 15,057 illegal migrants being rescued and returned to Libya. Tragically, 947 migrants have died, and another 1,256 remain missing on the perilous central Mediterranean route off the Libyan coast. This year’s figures show a decrease from 2022, where 24,684 migrants were rescued, but the number of deaths and missing individuals were 529 and 848, respectively.

Libya, which plunged into chaos following the fall of Moammar Gadhafi’s regime in 2011, has become a common departure point for many African migrants. These individuals often embark on dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean, aiming to reach European shores in search of better lives.