TRIPOLI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday said that 298 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya in the past week.

The migrants, intercepted and returned to Libya from Dec. 29, 2024, to Jan. 4, include 25 women and seven children, IOM said in a statement.

In 2024, 21,762 migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, a rise of more than 4,500 from the previous year. The IOM also recorded 674 deaths and 1,015 missing migrants on the Central Mediterranean route in 2024, including those departing from Libya and other countries.

Since 2011, many migrants have chosen to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya. ■