Libyan Coastguard Returns Boat With 64 Migrants To Shore.

By Caroline Ameh

The incident comes just days after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Libya and 22 out of 32 people on board went missing, presumed drowned.

Libya’s coast guard intercepted 64 migrants bound for Europe on a boat off the north-western town of Sirte and returned them to shore, Italian authorities said Saturday.

Sirte’s coast guard unit posted images on Facebook showing dozens of migrants including women and children.

It added that it had set the boat on fire after the migrants had disembarked, in order to prevent it from being reused by traffickers.

The incident comes just days after a boat carrying 32 migrants 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