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Migrants drown off Libyan coast Migrants drown off Libyan coast
(about 3 hours later)
A boat packed with migrants heading for Europe has sunk off the coast of Libya, killing at least 10 people, reports from Libya and Egypt say. A boat packed with migrants heading for Europe has sunk off the coast of Libya, killing at least 21 people, reports from Libya and Egypt say.
The vessel ran into difficulties shortly after setting off from Sidi Bilal, near Libya's capital Tripoli. The vessel ran into difficulties shortly after setting off from Sidi Bilal, near Libya's capital, Tripoli.
An Egyptian foreign ministry official said 20 people had been saved by Libyan rescue workers, but dozens of other migrants are feared to have drowned.An Egyptian foreign ministry official said 20 people had been saved by Libyan rescue workers, but dozens of other migrants are feared to have drowned.
It is believed the boat may have had more than 250 people on board. It is thought the boat may have had more than 250 people on board.
The boat sank some 30km (48 miles) off the Libyan coast because it had a hole in the hull, Ahmed Rizk, from Egypt's foreign ministry, was quoted as saying by Egypt's Mena news agency. A source at Libya's interior ministry said that at least 21 people had drowned and an unknown number were missing.
"Libyan search and rescue operations led to the recovery of the bodies of those who drowned as a result of the accident, among them the bodies of 10 Egyptians," he said. In Cairo, Egyptian foreign ministry official Ahmed Rizk said earlier that the boat had sunk some 30km (19 miles) off the Libyan coast because it had a hole in the hull.
Nationalities of other migrants on the boat were not immediately known. "Libyan search and rescue operations led to the recovery of the bodies of those who drowned as a result of the accident, among them the bodies of 10 Egyptians," Mr Rizk was quoted as saying by Egypt's Mena news agency.
Tens of thousands of African migrants make perilous sea journeys to Europe every year, hoping for a better life on the continent. The nationalities of other migrants on the boat were not immediately known.
Unconfirmed reports from Reuters news agency say that another boat with hundreds of African migrants has also sunk after leaving Libya.
Libya has become a popular transit point for illegal migrants hoping to start a new life in Europe.
The BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo says that many of the would-be migrants come from Egypt - where there is a high rate of youth unemployment. They usually head for Italy.
At least 40 people drowned en route when a boat sank last June, our correspondent says.
Italy has announced that it will soon start joint sea patrols with Libya aimed at stopping the heavy influx of illegal migrants.
Tens of thousands of Africans make perilous sea journeys to Europe every year.