83 migrants feared dead in Libya boat mishap

Libya Navy confirms that only 17 people have been rescued in a boat mishap involving 100 migrants off the coast of the country.

The Navy on Wednesday said coastguard rescued 17 people from the boat that sank off the town of al-Khoms east of the Libyan capital Tripoli.

It said on its Facebook page that the survivors clung to the wreckage of the vessel until they were saved.

“Unfortunately, there are a large number of missing people ranging from 90 to 100 illegal migrants from the boat,’’ the navy said in a statement.

According to the navy, the Libyan coastguard saved a total of 279 shipwrecked migrants in three incidents, including those from the al-Khoms boat