Libyan Navy forces rescued Saturday 132 illegal immigrants, mostly African, on a dinghy en route to European shores.

The spokesman for the Libyan Navy said a team of coastguards managed to rescue the immigrants Saturday night as part of their humanitarian and security operations off the coast.

The spokesman said a Libyan Navy rescue boat went to the rescue location at sea after receiving a distress call, adding that the coastguards did their job and saved the lives of the immigrants, who were disembarked later at Tripoli Naval Base before being sent to the Anti Illegal Immigration Center.

The immigrants, including five women, were from Pakistan, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Ghana and Nigeria.