Libya coast guard rescues 290 migrants off Libya coast

Libya’s coast guard rescued 290 migrants clinging to inflatable rafts yesterday in two operations near the capital Tripoli, a naval forces spokesman said. The western coast of Libya is the main departure point of hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing their countries from wars and poverty to reach shores of Italy. A coastguard vessel rescued 87 migrants off Qarabuli, a town 50 km (31 miles) eastern Tripoli, on an inflatable boat, naval forces spokesman Ayoub Qassem told Reuters. The coast guard is part of Libya’s Navy. Another group of 203 migrants were rescued from two inflatable boats off Zlitin, a town 160 km (100 miles) east of the capital, Qassem said.