Coast Guard in Al Zawiya Rescue Hundreds of Illegal Migrants.

Tripoli, 20 March 2016(Lana) A spokesman for the Marine Staff Command Col. Ayub Gassem said the coast guard of the western sector al-zawiya refinery point have rescued hundreds of illegal migrants, after the boats they were travelling in sank in the Mediterranean in the early hours of Sunday, but said some have not been so lucky. While the coast guard were on patrol on Saturday, they found 4 rubber dinghies filled with migrants in a desperate condition in rough weather and heavy winds, the spokesman said, adding that the migrants were rescued from the boats which were taking in water. Five bodies were recovered from the Sea, he added. A total of 586 migrants, including 11 children and 60 women were rescued in the operation, some of the rescued were pregnant women and had a miscarriage, as a result of the panic, the spokesman said. The migrants have come from African states including Ghana, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Eritrea, Chad and Sudan. The rescued migrants were transported to a relief camp to be attended by the Libya Red Crescent Society workers. The Spokesman said coordination existed between the Libyan coast guard and the main rescue and salvation centre in Rome and the European navy, where the Italian navy rescued 940 illegal migrants. =Lana=