Libyan coast guard rescues 99 illegal immigrants off western coast

Illegal immigrants arrive at a naval base in Tripoli, Libya, on April 29, 2021. The Libyan Coast Guard on Thursday rescued 99 illegal immigrants off the western coast of the town Mellitah, some 70 km west of the capital Tripoli, as their boat was about to sink. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Coast Guard on Thursday rescued 99 illegal immigrants off the western coast of the town Mellitah, some 70 km west of the capital Tripoli, as their boat was about to sink.

On Wednesday, another 108 illegal immigrants were rescued off the country's western coast.

Libya is a preferred point of departure for thousands of illegal immigrants who attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe.

Over 6,000 illegal immigrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast so far this year, including women and children, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The rescued were sent to overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls for their closure.