Libya: Coast Guard Rescues 138 African Refugees From Sinking Boat
The Libyan coast guard in Hmeidiyah, west of Tripoli, rescued 138 refugees, including 27 women and two children.
According to Ayub Gassem, the official spokesman of the Navy Forces, the coast guard men at Al-Hmeidiyah Point in the Tripoli sector were on morning patrol to the east when they discovered a boat carrying illegal migrants quickly taking on water.
The boat contained all African refugees, mostly from the sub-Saharan region.
The Libyan Red Crescent workers offered the refugees assistance and medical treatment, as many were dehydrated, Gassem said.
Once treated for medical needs, the refugees were taken to the anti-migration detention center to be processed and returned to their home countries.
Libya has seen a recent spike in refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. Many refugees are facing economic disaster in sub-Saharan Africa.
