At least 165 undocumented migrants have been rescued off Libya's northwestern coast, the country’s navy said Tuesday.
In a statement, naval forces affiliated with Libya’s UN-recognized unity government said the migrants, including 34 women and 12 children, were rescued from a rubber boat off the coast of Castelverde, 75 kilometers east of Tripoli, after being stranded for more than 60 hours at sea without food and water.
During the rescue operation, the navy also recovered the body of an infant, the statement said.
The migrants comprised two Algerians, two Bangladeshis, an Egyptian and various other African nationals.
Meanwhile, Oscar Camps, the head of Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, accused Libyan naval forces backed by the Italian government of "leaving a woman and a child dead on a boat" in a post on his Twitter account.
Ever since the collapse of the central authority in Libya in 2011, the country’s northwestern coast has become a hub for illegal migration to Italy and other countries in Europe.
Libya represents a major transit point for African migrants seeking access to Europe, especially Italy.
