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Migrant crisis: Scores of bodies found on Libya boat | Migrant crisis: Scores of bodies found on Libya boat |
(about 7 hours later) | |
About 50 people have been found dead in the hold of a boat carrying migrants intercepted off the coast of Libya, the Italian coastguard says. | About 50 people have been found dead in the hold of a boat carrying migrants intercepted off the coast of Libya, the Italian coastguard says. |
Italian media reports say the deaths were probably caused by asphyxiation. | |
About 430 people were rescued alive from the boat by a Swedish coastguard ship, the Poseidon, working with the EU's Frontex border agency. | |
Thousands of migrants have died and many thousands more have been rescued after setting sail from Libya recently. | Thousands of migrants have died and many thousands more have been rescued after setting sail from Libya recently. |
Wednesday's rescue operation was one of 10 such missions currently taking place in the waters off Libya, the Italian coastguard said. | |
Mediterranean tragedy | |
Earlier in August, the Italian navy discovered the bodies of 49 people in the hold of a vessel. | Earlier in August, the Italian navy discovered the bodies of 49 people in the hold of a vessel. |
Those migrants were thought to have died of asphyxiation. Survivors later testified that smugglers had forced them to remain in the hold. | Those migrants were thought to have died of asphyxiation. Survivors later testified that smugglers had forced them to remain in the hold. |
Smugglers based in Libya are believed to be taking advantage of calmer seas to send more boatloads of migrants towards European shores. | Smugglers based in Libya are believed to be taking advantage of calmer seas to send more boatloads of migrants towards European shores. |
European officials have described the plight of migrants, almost 250,000 of whom have crossed by boat to the continent this year, as "beyond urgent". | European officials have described the plight of migrants, almost 250,000 of whom have crossed by boat to the continent this year, as "beyond urgent". |
So far this year, more than 2,000 migrants have died trying to cross the sea to Europe, the UN says. | So far this year, more than 2,000 migrants have died trying to cross the sea to Europe, the UN says. |
Vienna migration summit | |
Meanwhile immigration via land routes is expected to dominate a summit in Vienna attended by the leaders from Germany, Austria and Balkan countries. | |
Ahead of the summit, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz told the BBC that current EU immigrations regulations were not working. | |
He highlighted the failure of the Dublin regulation, which requires non-EU migrants to register in the first country they arrive in. | |
"If we do not have functional border controls at the external borders of the European Union, the whole idea of the European Union without borders inside is in danger," Mr Kurz said. | |
The summit is expected to discuss ways to strengthen support for Western Balkan states, through which thousands of migrants travel through each week. | |
Earlier in the week, Macedonian police had to use stun grenades after thousands of migrants broke through police lines at the Greek border. |