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Mediterranean sinking kills 200 migrants bound for Europe Mediterranean sinking 'kills 300 migrants bound for Europe
(about 1 hour later)
More than 200 migrants are dead after the motorboats they were travelling on sank in the Mediterranean Sea, the UN's refugee agency says. At least 300 migrants are feared dead after the boats carrying them from the North African coast sank in the Mediterranean Sea, the UN says.
"Nine were saved after four days at sea. The other 203 were swallowed by the waves," UNHCR's spokeswoman in Italy, Carlotta Sami, said on Twitter. UNHCR regional director Vincent Cochetel called the incident a "tragedy on an enormous scale".
She called the situation a "horrible and enormous tragedy". Nine survivors who were brought to Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard are believed to be from West Africa.
On Monday, at least 29 migrants died after the inflatable boat carrying them overturned in high seas. Initial reports on Monday suggested that at least 29 migrants had died after their dinghy overturned.
Seven were already dead when they were picked up near the Italian island of Lampedusa, and a further 22 succumbed to hypothermia after spending more than 18 hours on the open deck of the vessel which picked them up. The UNHCR said the migrants had departed from Libya on Saturday in four dinghies.
The International Organization for Migration says the two boats involved in the latest tragedy had departed from the Libyan coast on Saturday. Mr Cochetel said, "Europe cannot afford to do too little too late", and called the tragedy, "a stark reminder that more lives could be lost if those seeking safety are left at the mercy of the sea."
The IOM says that each boat was carrying more than 100 people when they capsized, probably on Monday.
The nine survivors all speak French, and are believed to be from West Africa.
Matthew Price, BBC News, ItalyMatthew Price, BBC News, Italy
There is no way of knowing for sure whether these 203 men, women, and presumably children, would have been saved if the former Italian search-and-rescue operation known as Mare Nostrum was still running.There is no way of knowing for sure whether these 203 men, women, and presumably children, would have been saved if the former Italian search-and-rescue operation known as Mare Nostrum was still running.
But having spent a week on board an Italian navy frigate, I can be sure they would have done their utmost to save as many lives as possible.But having spent a week on board an Italian navy frigate, I can be sure they would have done their utmost to save as many lives as possible.
The EU's Triton border patrol is not designed to do that. It cannot pre-empt trouble in international waters - it can only act when lives are immediately at risk.The EU's Triton border patrol is not designed to do that. It cannot pre-empt trouble in international waters - it can only act when lives are immediately at risk.
The Italian operation was set up differently. The naval crews knew they had one single purpose - to prevent death. Some time back, EU leaders pledged that not a single life would again be lost as a result of these large scale tragedies at sea.The Italian operation was set up differently. The naval crews knew they had one single purpose - to prevent death. Some time back, EU leaders pledged that not a single life would again be lost as a result of these large scale tragedies at sea.
Italy launched its Mare Nostrum search-and-rescue mission in October 2013, in response to a tragedy off Lampedusa in which 366 people died. In November, Italy ended a year-long operation aimed at rescuing seaborne migrants.
The aim of the mission was to look for ships carrying migrants that may have run into trouble off the Libyan coast, but it was disbanded in November 2014. Known as Mare Nostrum, it was launched in October 2013 in response to a tragedy off Lampedusa in which 366 people died. The aim of the mission was to look for ships carrying migrants that may have run into trouble off the Libyan coast.
The European Union now runs a border control operation, called Triton, with fewer ships and a much smaller area of operations.The European Union now runs a border control operation, called Triton, with fewer ships and a much smaller area of operations.
'Vast cemetery' The UNHCR says almost 3,500 people died attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe in 2014, making it the world's most dangerous sea crossing for migrants.
Ms Sami says the UNHCR had warned the EU that lives would be put at risk if search and rescue missions were not maintained in the area. More than 200,000 people were rescued in the Mediterranean during the same period, many under the Mare Nostrum mission prior to its abolition, and the UNHCR expects the figure to remain high in 2015.
"At the moment we do not have a strong search and rescue capacity in the Mediterranean, while the influx of migrants and refugees is still very high," she told Dutch TV on Tuesday, before news of the latest tragedy emerged.
The UNHCR says almost 3,500 people died attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe in 2014, making it the world's most dangerous sea crossing for migrants by some distance.
More than 200,000 people were rescued in the Mediterranean during the same period, many under the Mare Nostrum mission prior to its abolition.
In a speech before the European Parliament in November, Pope Francis called for a "united response to the question of migration", warning that the Mediterranean could not be allowed to become a "vast cemetery".In a speech before the European Parliament in November, Pope Francis called for a "united response to the question of migration", warning that the Mediterranean could not be allowed to become a "vast cemetery".