Up to 700 African Migrants Feared Dead when Boat Capsizes Near Libya

9 years ago - April 19, 2015

Thousands of migrants have already tried to cross the Mediterranean in rickety boats this year

A fishing boat packed with about 700 migrants was reported capsized 60 nautical miles (110 kilometers) from the Libyan coast, in what may become the largest refugee tragedy in the Mediterranean.

Italy and Malta immediately deployed navy and coast guard ships in an effort to rescue survivors. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Sunday morning that 28 bodies had been recovered but the number is “bound to increase.” Maltese officials said 28 people had been rescued.

“If confirmed, this would be the largest tragedy ever in the Mediterranean involving migrants,” Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in a telephone interview. “Nobody should be allowed to die this way.”

Italy has been dealing with a wave of migrants from Africa and the Middle East who have boarded rickety vessels in Libya, paying human traffickers to take them across the Mediterranean Sea to refuge in Europe. Italian politicians have been seeking increased international support to cope with the influx.

A Maltese military spokesman, who asked not be identified by name, confirmed Italian news reports that about 700 migrants were on board when the boat left the Libyan port of Zuara. The spokesman said the boat capsized about midnight on Saturday.

Italian news reports said the boat capsized when the passengers rushed to one side after spotting a merchant ship, in hopes of being rescued.

Text by Bloomberg

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