200 Migrants Die As Boat Capsizes Off Libya

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The incident involving a fishing boat that capsized off the coast of Libya in the Mediterranean Sea resulted in the death of more than 200 migrants.

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Around 200 migrants are feared to be dead when a distressed fishing boat carrying around 600 passengers capsized in the Mediterranean Sea.  The boat was carrying people including women and children, which overturned 15 miles off the Libyan coast on Wednesday.  The incident happened after passengers in the boat rushed to one side of the boat when it  hit rough weather.

The officials from Italian Coast Guard have confirmed the rescue of 373 people from the water and recovery of 25 bodies but the death toll is expected to rise.

LÉ Niamh, an Irish rescue vessel and Médecins Sans Frontières, a medical aid charity boat were posted to the area as the Italian naval officials received a distress call.  The rescue operation was carried out by both Italian and Irish navy vessels.

UNHCR spokesman has confirmed the accident, “We believe that the boat was carrying about 600 people, but we will never really know how many sunk.”

Martin Xuereb, Malta Migrant Offshore Aid Station official has quoted, “Those that were on deck would have managed to jump, some of them drowned and some of them were saved.  I think it’s unlikely that any additional survivors will be picked up.”

This incident would the deadliest migrant tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea since April.  So far more than 2,000 migrants are believed to have died while trying to cross the Mediterranean with a hope to reach Europe.

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