TRIPOLI, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Libyan coast guard on Monday rescued 406 illegal migrants of African and Asian nationalities off the country's western coast, navy spokesman said.
"Two coast guard patrols rescued 406 migrants on three rickety rubber boats 25 miles off Garrabulli coast (some 55 km east the capital Tripoli)," navy spokesman, Ayob Qassem, told Xinhua.
Qassem also said the rescued migrants include 70 women and 22 children, and all of the migrants were taken to Tripoli's anti-illegal immigration department.
Illegal immigration flows from Libya towards European shores increase during improved weather conditions, particularly off the country's western coast.
Thousands of illegal migrants choose to cross the Mediterranean towards European shores from Libya due to the state of chaos in the country following the 2011 uprising.
According to official figures of the Libyan anti-illegal immigration department, the migrants rescued off the Libyan coast during the first quarter of this year are more than 4,000.
