At least 31 migrants have died after their boat sank off Libya’s western coast while some 200 others were rescued by the coastguard.

According to Abu Ajala Amer Abdelbari, a coast guard commander, the migrants were on two boats off the coast near Garabulli, east of Tripoli.

He stated that one of the boats had already sunk when the coastguard arrived at the scene.

“The boat had sunk and they were spread out in the sea, they were trying to swim towards the coast,” he said.

“There were about 60 people who we were able to save because they were clinging to the (remains of the) boat.”

Another 140 migrants were picked up from the second boat, he said.

The dead, including a number of children, were brought back to Tripoli naval base where they were unloaded in white plastic body bags.