846 illegal migrants rescued off Libyan coast in past week: IOM

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday said that 846 illegal migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya in the past week, reported Xinhua.

"In the period of 17-23 October, 846 migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea and returned to Libya," IOM said.

So far in 2021, a total of 27,551 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued, while 497 died and 705 went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the organization.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

Rescued migrants end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those centers.