A rescued baby and his family members are seen at a naval base in Tripoli, Libya, on Feb. 19, 2018. The Libyan navy announced on Monday that 324 African and Arab migrants had been rescued after their two boats broke down off the coast of the western city of Zuwara, some 120 km west of the capital Tripoli. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia)
TRIPOLI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan navy announced on Monday that 324 African and Arab migrants had been rescued after their two boats broke down off the coast of the western city of Zuwara, some 120 km west of the capital Tripoli.
"The coast guards, in cooperation with a fishing bulldozer, rescued 324 African and Arab migrants on two rubber boats that broke down seven miles north of the city of Zuwara," Libyan navy spokesman Ayob Qassem told Xinhua.
"The immigrants include 35 women and 32 Libyans," Qassem added.
"The two boats were towed and the migrants were taken to the port of Zuwara, and then handed over to the Passport Authority and Immigrant Reception Center in Zuwara," Qassem said.
Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, because of insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
