The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday said that 466 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya in the past week.

“In the period of December 12-18, 466 migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea and returned to Libya,” IOM said.

So far in 2021, a total of 31,456 migrants, including women and children, have been rescued, while 509 died and 831 went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the organization.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.