This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/03/lampedusa-migrants-killed-boat-sinks-italy

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Italy boat wreck: dozens of migrants die as boat sinks off Lampedusa Italy boat wreck: scores of migrants die as boat sinks off Lampedusa
(41 minutes later)
At least 94 people have died after a boat carrying hundreds of migrants sank off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, with rescuers warning that the number could rise significantly as searches continue for around 250 people missing. At least 94 people have died after a boat carrying hundreds of migrants sank off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, with rescuers warning that the number could rise significantly as searches continue for around 250 missing people.
Coastguards said the alarm had first been raised early on Thursday morning by fishing boats who reported that a vessel was in trouble in the waters near the Mediterranean island that is a frequent destination for people wanting to reach Europe from the northern African coast. Coastguards said the alarm was first raised early on Thursday morning by fishing boat crews. They reported that a vessel was in trouble near the Mediterranean island that is a frequent destination for people wanting to reach Europe from the north African coast.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR said it believed there were around 500 passengers, all Eritreans who had boarded in Libya. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, said it believed there were around 500 passengers, all Eritreans who had boarded in Libya.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said action was needed by the European Union to stem "a succession of massacres of innocent people". The Italian president, Giorgio Napolitano, said the European Union needed to act to stem "a succession of massacres of innocent people".
Initial reports said the boat is believed to have caught fire before sinking. More than 151 people had been rescued, according to the Italian Coastguard. Lampedusa's mayor, Giusi Nicolini, told news agencies many more were unaccounted for and that children were among the dead. Initial reports said the boat was believed to have caught fire before sinking. More than 151 people had been rescued, according to the Italian Coast Guard. Lampedusa's mayor, Giusi Nicolini, told news agencies that many more were unaccounted for and children were among the dead.
"It's horrific, like a cemetery, they are still bringing them out," she told reporters."It's horrific, like a cemetery, they are still bringing them out," she told reporters.
In a statement, the Italian transport minister, Maurizio Lupi, said 250 people were still missing after what he said was a "huge tragedy" that was "not humanly tolerable". In a statement, the Italian transport minister, Maurizio Lupi, said 250 people were still missing after what he said was a huge tragedy that was "not humanly tolerable".
"We need to rescue those whose boats sink at sea, a task the men of the coastguard have been seeing to for months, but we also need to do everything possible to stop the traffickers of death who exploit the hope of the poor." "We need to rescue those whose boats sink at sea, a task the men of the coastguard have been seeing to for months, but we also need to do everything possible to stop the traffickers of death who exploit the hope of the poor. It is a duty which we must take on, which the international community and in particular the European Union must take on."
He added: "It is a duty which we must take on, which the international community and in particular the European Union must take on." Pope Francis, who visited the island in July on his first papal trip outside Rome, said he felt great pain for the many victims of the shipwreck.
Pope Francis, who visited the island in July on his first papal trip outside Rome, said he felt "great pain" for the "many victims of the latest tragic shipwreck today off Lampedusa". "The word that comes to mind is 'shame'," Francis said in unscripted remarks after a speech in the Vatican. "Let us unite our strengths so that such tragedies never happen again."
"The word that comes to mind is 'shame'," Francis said in unscripted remarks after a speech in the Vatican. "Let us unite our strengths so that such tragedies never happened again."
Italian media reported that Angelino Alfano, the deputy prime minister and interior minister, would travel to Lampedusa.Italian media reported that Angelino Alfano, the deputy prime minister and interior minister, would travel to Lampedusa.
Earlier this week 13 men drowned in the waters off Sicily when their boat ran aground. At that time, both Alfano and Lupi, centre-right MPs, were at the centre of an Italian government crisis sparked by Silvio Berlusconi, which absorbed the nation for five days.Earlier this week 13 men drowned in the waters off Sicily when their boat ran aground. At that time, both Alfano and Lupi, centre-right MPs, were at the centre of an Italian government crisis sparked by Silvio Berlusconi, which absorbed the nation for five days.
Last year, almost 500 people were reported dead or missing making the crossing from Tunisia to Italy, the UNHCR says. Numbers have been boosted by thousands of refugees from the civil war in Syria. Last year, almost 500 people were reported to have died or gone missing while making the crossing from Tunisia to Italy, the UNHCR said. Numbers have been boosted by thousands of refugees from the civil war in Syria.
"I commend the swift action taken by the Italian coastguard to save lives. At the same time, I am dismayed at the rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said. "I commend the swift action taken by the Italian Coast Guard to save lives. At the same time, I am dismayed at the rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea," the UN high commissioner for refugees, Antonio Guterres, said.
Migrants frequently land on Lampedusa, just 113 km (70 miles) from the coast of Tunisia, often picked up at sea in dangerously overcrowded boats by the Italian coastguard. Migrants frequently land on Lampedusa, 113km (70 miles) from the coast of Tunisia, often picked up at sea in dangerously overcrowded boats by Italian coastguards.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.