BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Libya's navy says it has rescued 272 migrants whose vessels were stranded in the Mediterranean Sea as they tried to reach southern Europe.

A navy statement late Sunday said the migrants were on two vessels. The engine of one vessel sank into the sea while the engine of the other broke down.

It says the migrants included 53 women and 57 children. The bodies of two female migrants were found on one of the vessels. It added that the survivors were taken to a port in Tripoli, the Libyan capital.

Libya has been plagued by lawlessness and militia rule since a 2011 uprising toppled and killed dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The chaos has allowed the North African nation to become a major transit point for migrants seeking to reach Europe.