Almost 500 migrants brought back to Libya after foiled attempts to reach Italy

The United Nations criticised European countries on Tuesday for not allowing migrants to disembark at safe ports, as Libya’s coastguard said almost 500 migrants trying to reach Italy by inflatables had been brought back to the North African country.

The 473 people found trying to cross the Mediterranean on inflatables in different rescue operations since Saturday included some who were rescued by a cargo ship, coastguard spokesman Ayoub Qassem said.

U.N. aid agencies had earlier condemned the transfer of migrants to Libyan detention centres in which they often face abuse, lack of medical care, rape or forced labour, according to 61-page U.N. report in December.

“In Libya’s current context, where outbreaks of violence and widespread human rights violations prevail, no rescued refugees and migrants should be returned there,” Charlie Yaxley, spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, told a briefing.