More than 500 migrants rescued off Libya coast

Madrid (AFP) - The Spanish Civil Guard said Saturday it had rescued 523 African migrants off the coast of Libya with the help of the Italian coastguard.

A Spanish patrol ship rescued 325 migrants from different boats about 25 nautical miles from Tripoli, while the Italian coastguard taking part in the same operation picked up another 198, a statement said.

The statement said the migrants were from Nigeria, Gambia, Senegal, Libya, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea and that they included 125 women and 22 children.