Italian coastguards warn they have rescued 5,000 #migrants off the Libyan coast in the past 48 hours pic.twitter.com/eOFqZ1KpzO — AFP news agency (@AFP) May 21, 2017

Over the course of about 48 hours, rescuers pulled 5,000 refugees from boats and the waters of the Mediterranean, officials reported.

Italian and Libyan Coast Guard crews saved the refugees, who were sailing from Libya to Italy, between May 18-20.

The body of a man who drowned was also pulled from the water, Press TV reported.

UPDATE: 743 relieved humans including 78 women and 55 kids are on their way to #Augusta on the #Prudence. The deck is certainly quite cosy. pic.twitter.com/O8AuuYZDUW — MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 18, 2017

With regions of sub-Saharan Africa rocked by economic hardship and violence, displaced people have been the continent. Many of the rescued refugees were treated for malnutrition when they reached support centers in Italy.

Officials estimated that as many as 1 million residents of Libya want to get on boats and leave because remaining there was no longer a safe option. According to the UN refugee agency, thousands of displaced people have been arrested and corralled into packed detention centers.

Awful conditions in Libyan detention centers must improve urgently. Meanwhile, UNHCR working w/authorities to avoid detention of refugees. pic.twitter.com/byeQpIBlwk — Filippo Grandi (@RefugeesChief) May 21, 2017

“Libya is crazy. They arrest us ... two, three days no eat, no drink. They beat us,” Alseer Issa Ibrahim of Sudan told Reuters.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said he was “shocked” by conditions at the centers in Libya and demanded that the refugees be released.

Story continues

Number of people dead or missing while crossing from Africa to Italy in 2017 is now 1,300+. @UNHumanRights briefs on the latest shipwreck. pic.twitter.com/SSZY1nW1f9 — UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) May 9, 2017

Nearly 47,000 refugees have fled to Italy this year, up more than 30 percent over last year. Another 1,300 refugees were missing or dead.

The International Organization for Immigration said the influx of refugees was attributable to warmer temps and seas. But even in better weather, the trip was perilous due to overcrowded boats.

The vast majority of those rescued last week were in international waters. They were taken to Italy for food and care. The rest were picked up in Libyan waters and returned to Africa.

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We dread to think what would have happened to this baby if #Aquarius had not been in the #Mediterranean today... pic.twitter.com/FUJpOZeAMV — MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 18, 2017

2,012 #people were rescued on the #Mediterranean today, the vast majority by NGOs. Why are we at sea? To save lives. It's just that simple. pic.twitter.com/Vxzs0MgmL7 — MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 18, 2017

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.