Libya’s coast guard intercepted 64 illegal immigrants bound for Europe on a boat off the shores of Sirte and returned them to shore, Italian authorities said on Saturday.
Sirte’s coast guard unit posted images on Facebook showing dozens of illegal immigrants including women and children.
The coast guard added that it had set the boat on fire after the immigrants had disembarked, in order to prevent it from being reused by traffickers.
The incident comes just days after a boat carrying 32 illegal immigrants from Egypt and Syria capsized off Libya’s eastern town of Tobruk, with 22 missing, who are presumed to have drowned. The Libyan coast guard reported it had recovered one body and rescued nine.
