Libyan coast guard rescues 186 migrants, recovers 5 bodies

CAIRO – Libya’s coast guard says it has recovered the bodies of five migrants and rescued 186 others, including women and children, in separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

Navy spokesman Ayoub Jassem says the migrants, who were found on Sunday and Monday, were taken to a navy base in the capital, Tripoli, and a refugee camp in the town of Tawergha.

Libya was plunged into chaos following a 2011 uprising and is now split between rival governments in the east and west, each backed by an array of militias.

Since then, Libya has been a frequently used route to Europe for migrants fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East.

Libya has worked to stem the flow of migrants, with assistance from the European Union.