The Libyan Navy on Thursday announced that 81 irregular migrants have been intercepted at sea off the country’s western coast.
The migrants, who are of different African nationalities, were taken to the Tripoli naval base after being intercepted at sea and handed over to migration authorities, the Libyan Navy said in a statement.
The country’s migration authority will follow up the procedures for their safe departure back to their countries of origin, the statement said.
Many irregular migrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya, given the state of chaos and insecurity that has plagued the country since 2011.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 28,000 irregular migrants have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya so far this year.
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