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Fears for hundreds of migrants after fishing boat capsizes off Libya At least 25 dead and 400 rescued after migrant boat capsizes off Libya
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of migrants attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean are feared to have drowned after their overcrowded fishing boat capsized off Libya, Italy’s coastguard said on Wednesday. Italy’s coastguard says 400 migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean have been saved and 25 bodies recovered so far after an overcrowded fishing boat capsized off Libya.
A boat thought to be carrying about 600 people had run into difficulty 15 nautical miles off Libya and sent out a distress call, picked up by the coastguard in Catania in Sicily. A rescue operation involving seven ships is in progress after a metal boat thought to be carrying up to 600 people ran into difficulty 15 nautical miles off Libya.
Two vessels – the Médecins Sans Frontières ship Dignity I and Irish patrol vessel Le Niamh – were immediately dispatched to the scene, but the boat capsized after the migrants all rushed to one side in anticipation of being rescued, the coastguard told AFP. A distress call was picked up by the coastguard in Catania, Sicily, and two vessels – the Médecins Sans Frontières ship Dignity I and Irish patrol vessel Le Niamh – were immediately dispatched to the scene.
MSF said many people had died: Although details are yet to be confirmed, the capsizing is understood to have happened at about 1pm after migrants rushed to one side of the ship as mobile units from the Irish rescue carrier approached it.
Metal boats are known to be less sturdy than other kinds of vessels, and the boat sank quickly, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR.
MSF earlier said there had been “many deaths”:
The team on the #Dignity1 can confirm that there have tragically been many deaths but does not have figures at this stageThe team on the #Dignity1 can confirm that there have tragically been many deaths but does not have figures at this stage
An Irish naval official told the Associated Press that about 150 migrants were spotted in the water. The MSF rescue vessel stopped to save 94 other migrants who were in a dinghy as it made its way to the bigger boat, a Migrant Report spokesman said.
Nawal Soufi, an Arabic-speaking Italian based in Sicily who is often contacted by migrants in distress, told AFP she had taken a call earlier on Wednesday about a boat in trouble with 600 people on board. BREAKING: The #Dignity1 has just rescued 94 people from a rubber boat including 17 woman and a five-year old boy pic.twitter.com/6HcigSXUpM
“It is probably the same boat,” coastguard spokesman Filippo Marini said, raising fears that hundreds of people may have drowned. There are fears that people may have been trapped in the ship’s hull, which would increase the death toll.
A spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency UNHCR said 16 people had been confirmed dead: Save the Children, one of the primary organisations that helps migrants, said it expected survivors to arrive in Palermo, Sicily, on Thursday morning.
Just in: Boat carrying 600 capsized off Libya. So far, 250 rescued, 16 dead. Worried for the others. Italian Coast Guard coordinating rescue Non-governmental organisations often join migrant sea rescue operations, which are coordinated by Italy’s coastguard and are now under the umbrella of an EU taskforce known as Triton.
Three other ships have been sent to the area to search for survivors. Last October, the EU opted not to replace the Italian-run operation Mare Nostrum, which saved about 100,000 lives last year, amid fears that it was encouraging smugglers and migrants to organise more trips to Europe.
Non-governmental organisations often join in migrant sea rescue operations, which are coordinated by Italy’s coastguard and are now under the umbrella of a European Union task force known as Triton. Last October, the EU opted not to replace the Italian-run operation Mare Nostrum, which saved about 100,000 lives last year, amid fears that it was encouraging smugglers and migrants to organise more trips to Europe.
More than 2,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe this year, according to the International Organisation for Migration.More than 2,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe this year, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
In April, a boat crammed with an estimated 800 migrants overturned, also off Libya’s coast, where smugglers operate. Only 28 survivors, including two alleged smugglers, were found. In April, a boat carrying an estimated 800 migrants overturned, also off Libya’s coast, where smugglers operate. Only 28 survivors, including two alleged smugglers, were found.
Migrants travel overland for weeks or months from sub-Saharan Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia to reach Libya. There they set sail in flimsy motorised rubber dinghies or rickety old fishing boats. When the boats have problems, someone aboard contacts the coastguard by satellite phone requesting rescue. Other boats in distress are spotted by Triton air surveillance. Migrants travel overland for weeks or months from sub-Saharan Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia to reach Libya. There they set sail in flimsy motorised rubber dinghies or rickety old fishing boats. When the boats have problems, someone on board contacts the coastguard by satellite phone. Other boats in distress are spotted by Triton air surveillance.
Agence France-Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report