Boat carrying over 250 migrants capsizes off Libya, coast guard says 16 rescued

TRIPOLI, Libya – A Libyan coast guard official says a boat carrying over 250 migrants has capsized off the coast near the capital Tripoli.

Abdel-Latif Mohammed said Saturday that 16 people have been rescued since the coast guard was alerted to the incident late Friday. The body of an 18-month-old child was pulled from the water as rescue operations continued off the shores of al-Qarbouli, 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of the capital Tripoli.

The migrants, mostly African nationals, were heading to Europe on a perilous journey that kills scores of people every year.

Libya has grown increasingly lawless since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moammar Gadhafi, making it a migration hub for sub-Saharan Africans.