TRIPOLI, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday that 497 illegal immigrants were returned to Libya last week after being rescued off the country's coast.

       "In the period of 3-9 April, 497 migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea and returned to Libya," IOM said in a statement.

       Since the beginning of the year, 77 illegal immigrants died and 340 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, it added.

       So far this year, 3,968 illegal immigrants have been rescued and returned to Libya, including 375 women and 169 minors, according to the IOM.

       In 2021, a total of 32,425 illegal immigrants were rescued and returned to Libya, while 662 died and 891 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the IOM.

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