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4 migrants dead, 187 rescued off Libyan coast

Xinhua, March 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Libyan coast guards on Thursday rescued 187 illegal migrants off the coast of west of the capital Tripoli after their boat caught fire, according to the coast guards.

A Libyan coast guards spokesman said four migrants died and 43 others were injured when the boat caught fire for an unknown cause near the coast of Sabratha, about 65 km west of Tripoli.

The migrants, including nine women and four infants, are of African nationalities, the spokesman said.

Due to its state of anarchy and insecurity, Libya is a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe, but many of them have drowned on the way.

Italian coast guards said they have found three dead migrants and rescued more than 2400 others since Tuesday.

The International Organization for Migration estimated that more than 146,000 migrants have reached Europe by sea as of March 9, 2016. Endit