The Italian organization Emergency said Monday that it had rescued 50 irregular migrants and recovered the bodies of seven others in international waters off the Libyan coast.

The organization said the operation took place within the Libyan search-and-rescue zone and involved migrants from Somalia and Egypt, including 29 unaccompanied children.

It said two of the survivors were in critical condition, while the Italian port of Bari was designated for the migrants’ disembarkation.

The central Mediterranean remains a major migration route toward Europe, with migrants facing repeated risks of drowning.