
More than 700 migrants fleeing war-torn Libya have been rescued in the Mediterranean sea today.

Refugees fleeing the troubled country on small inflatable dinghies were rescued by emergency teams as they sailed toward the Italian coast, about 17 miles north of Sabratha, Libya, earlier this morning.

Members of Proactiva Open Arms NGO, a group set up to help rescue migrants at sea, helped pull them from their inflatable boats before handing them over to the Italian coastguards operating in the area.

Thousands of migrants try each year to flee Libya and make it to Italy but many drown during the crossing.

They cram into boats that are small and unsafe for the 190-mile perilous journey from Libya's shores.

A total of 4,027 migrants and refugees have perished since January trying to flee wars and poverty looking for a better life mainly in Europe, the International Organisation for Migration said last week.

Of that total, some 3,120 died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, including 120 who drowned off Libya's coastal town of Sabratha at the end of July, it said.

More than seven hundred migrants fleeing war-torn Libya were rescued in the Mediterranean sea earlier this morning

Migrant women smile on board boat as they sail across the Mediterranean sea toward the Italian coasts during the rescue

Migrants from Nigeria fleeing Libya are rescued by emergency teams from a dinghy as they sail across the Mediterranean

Migrants fleeing Libya on board a large inflatable dinghy wait to be rescued by emergency teams 17 miles north of Sabratha

An Italian Navy ship sails past a burning dinghy after evacuating the migrants sailing on it in the Mediterranean sea today

Migrants and refugees fleeing Libya on board a wooden boat are seen about 17 miles north of Sabratha just before the rescue