TRIPOLI, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Up to 499 migrants, including 34 women and six children, were rescued off the coast of Libya in the past week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Monday.

From Dec. 8 to 14, 499 migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, the IOM reported, adding that 29 migrants went missing.

So far this year, 21,343 migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya, a rise of more than 4,000 from last year. The IOM has recorded 635 deaths and 982 missing migrants on the Central Mediterranean route this year, including those departing from Libya and other countries.

Since 2011, many migrants have chosen to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya. Enditem

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