Two women drowned, 290 migrants rescued off Libya’s shores

BY Libyan Express Jan 07, 2018 - 23:42 Updated: Jan 07, 2018 - 23:58

Two women were found dead and 290 migrants rescued from two boats off the coast of Libya on Sunday, the Libyan coastguards said Sunday.

The migrants were rescued off the coast of Garabulli, 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Tripoli, then taken to the capital, naval officer Meftah Al-Zliteni said.

He did not give further details on how the women had died.

They had left Libya Saturday evening on a makeshift craft with 140 other migrants from various African countries, but their motor broke down a few hours later.

“We stayed put from six o’clock in the morning” until the navy arrived, said Baba Koni, a Malian who was on board the boat.

He said the motor had become waterlogged and cut out.

Zlitni said 150 migrants were on a second boat that had been about to sink when the patrol arrived.

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