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Over 4,700 migrants rescued off Libya coast – Italian coastguard

By NAN
21 September 2015   |   1:41 pm
Over 4,700 migrants have been rescued off the coast of Libya as they tried to reach Europe , an Italian coast guard disclosed. Tens of thousands of people, mainly from Africa and the Middle East, have tried to cross the Mediterranean this year, often dangerously packed into small vessels unsuitable for the voyage.

African-migrantsOver 4,700 migrants have been rescued off the coast of Libya as they tried to reach Europe , an Italian coast guard disclosed.
Tens of thousands of people, mainly from Africa and the Middle East, have tried to cross the Mediterranean this year, often dangerously packed into small vessels unsuitable for the voyage.

A statement by the coastguard said that one woman was found dead in the rescue mission on Saturday, although no further details were given on the cause of death.

According to the statement, the migrants were evacuated to safety in a 20 rescue operations involving numerous vessels which ferried the migrants from rubber boats and barges.

In the same development, another 335 people were picked up as part of a rescue mission coordinated by Greece and directed to a port in Italy to disembark.

The rescues were carried out by vessels from the Italian coastguard and navy, humanitarian agency Doctors Without Borders, and the Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station.

Others include a merchant boat, a Croatian vessel under the EU Triton rescue mission and naval ships from Germany and Britain.
Europe is struggling to cope with a record influx of refugees as people flee war in countries such as Syria, and the Mediterranean has become the world’s most deadly crossing point for migrant

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