Twenty-two Malians, including three children, have recently died off the coast of Libya, the Ministry of Malians Abroad and African Integration said on Tuesday.

"These 22 people were part of a group of 83 migrants in distress off the coast of Libya since June 22, 2022," the ministry said in a statement. Sixty-one people were rescued, including Malians.

The ministry said it is trying to identify the survivors and do everything to ensure their repatriation.

In recent years, with the support of the International Organization for Migration, irregular Malian migrants have been regularly repatriated from Libya