35 illegal immigrants rescued off western Libya

Libyan authorities on Tuesday rescued 35 illegal immigrants of different nationalities off the country's western coast.

The immigrants, coming from Sudan, Benin, Ivory Coast and Bangladesh, were rescued by a commercial vessel and handed over to the Seaport Security Department, according to the anti-illegal immigration department.

The immigrants have been taken to a reception center in the capital Tripoli and provided with humanitarian services.

Thousands of illegal immigrants choose to cross the Mediterranean toward European shores from Libya because of the chaos in the country following the 2011 uprising.