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| European migrant crisis: Dozens 'suffocate' in boat off Libya | |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| More than 40 migrants have died in an overcrowded boat in the Mediterranean, the Italian navy has said. | More than 40 migrants have died in an overcrowded boat in the Mediterranean, the Italian navy has said. |
| Many others were saved as the boat was intercepted off Libya. The navy said the rescue was continuing. | Many others were saved as the boat was intercepted off Libya. The navy said the rescue was continuing. |
| The deaths were caused by suffocation as the migrants were held in a confined space below deck, reports say. | |
| European officials say the plight of migrants, 250,000 of whom have crossed by boat to the continent this year, is "beyond urgent". | European officials say the plight of migrants, 250,000 of whom have crossed by boat to the continent this year, is "beyond urgent". |
| The Italian navy said it had co-ordinated the rescue of 1,700 people on Tuesday alone. | The Italian navy said it had co-ordinated the rescue of 1,700 people on Tuesday alone. |
| It tweeted (in Italian) that the ship Cigala Fulgosi was leading the latest rescue mission on Saturday and that many people had been saved. | |
| The Italian news agency Ansa said the boat was in distress about 21 nautical miles (39km) off the coast of Libya and carrying about 400 migrants. | |
| Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said about 320 people had been rescued but "they are still counting the victims". | |
| Navy spokesman Costantino Fantasia said the dead were "presumably in the hold", but was unable to confirm this as the mission was still going on. | |
| The navy rescued about 50 migrants from a rubber dinghy on Wednesday, but as many others were never found. | |
| Another 200 are feared dead after their boat capsized off Libya on 5 April. Hundreds were rescued from that boat by the Irish navy. | |
| So far this year. the United Nations says that more than 2,000 migrants have died trying to make the trip by sea to Europe. | |
| The BBC's James Reynolds in Rome says it has become the world's most dangerous migrant journey. | |
| Are you in the area? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | |
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