Off the wire
Australia to trial world-first "cloud passports"  • Australians' "slurred" accent influenced by drunken early settlers, says academic  • China treasury bond futures open lower Thursday  • Chinese shares open higher Thursday  • China Hushen 300 index futures open higher Thursday  • Japan's industrial output rises unexpectedly in September  • Mexican GP to be economic engine for Mexico City  • World gymnastics championships results  • Chinese yuan weakens to 6.3596 against USD Thursday  • Ticket prices soar for Argentina vs Brazil World Cup qualifier  

Over 1,000 migrants rescued off Libya's coast

Xinhua, October 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

More than 1,000 illegal immigrants on overcrowded boats have been rescued near Libya on Wednesday morning, Italian Coast Guards said.

British, German, Irish, and Slovenian navy ships also participated in the rescue, the highest number of migrants rescued in a single day in three weeks.

On Saturday, 40 bodies of the migrants of different African nationalities washed ashore in western Libya.

International Organization for Migration said that around 140,000 migrants have reached Italy's shores this year, many of whom departed from Libya.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since 2011 and become a preferred point of departure for migrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.