“During the past week, at least 160 lives were lost in the Central Mediterranean, off the coast of Libya. Nearly 1,500 migrants drowned on this route this year,” tweeted Safa Msehli, a spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

At least 102 migrants died after their boat capsized on Friday and eight others were rescued and returned to shore.

The Libyan coastguard recovered at least 62 bodies in another shipwreck on Saturday, Msehli said.

The same day, the coastguard intercepted a third boat carrying at least 210 refugees, she added.

Since the toppling of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos, making the country a preferred point of departure for irregular migrants aiming to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards European countries. (ILKHA)