300 migrants rescued off Libyan coast

Libyan navy on Wednesday rescued more than 300 migrants off the coast of Sabratha in western Libya as they were on their way to Europe.

Ayob Qassem, Libyan navy spokesman, said that a rescue vessel belonging to an international organization attempted to "obstruct the work of the Libyan coastguard boat while working to rescue illegal immigrants in the Libyan national sovereign waters by trying to take the immigrants by force on the claim that Libya is not safe."

Qassem did not reveal the name of the international organization to which the rescue vessel belongs.

The EU launched a military operation known as Operation Sophia that aims to fight illegal immigration in the Mediterranean. The operational headquarters is in Rome.

Libya is a preferred point of departure for migrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe.

Smugglers take advantage of the state of chaos and insecurity to send thousands of migrants towards Europe, many of whom drown on the way.