Boat sinking: Mediterranean's ‘worst’ boat tragedy sees hundreds of migrants drown off Libyan coast
- 9 years ago
Rescue boats searched Mediterranean waters Sunday for survivors and bodies from a boat that capsized while carrying migrants from Libya to Italy.
Reuters reported the death toll could be as high as 700.
The 20-meter long vessel sent out a distress call late Saturday night, according to CNN. Italy dispatched a Portuguese merchant ship to the site. When the ship arrived, passengers on the overcrowded boat rushed to one side, which may be what caused it to capsize.
Reuters reported rescue teams found just 28 survivors, while CNN put the figure closer to 50, citing Maltese authorities.
The ship capsized about 190 km south of Lampedusa island and just 112 km off the coast of Libya.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said in a press conference Sunday he could not confirm the number of people on board, but that the death count would be a “dramatic amount.”
If the numbers are confirmed, it would be the deadliest in a multitude of fatal migrant trips from Libya to Italy.
“This is a tragedy,” Renzi said of the migration crisis. “We have thousands who are rescued and hundreds of people who cannot be rescued, who are victims of a criminal structure.”
The BBC estimated rescue boats have saved 13,500 migrants in the past week. Roughly 900 have died attempting the journey since January.
“If we can not remove the problem in Libya, we will never succeed in solving this terrible problem,” Renzi said.
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Reuters reported the death toll could be as high as 700.
The 20-meter long vessel sent out a distress call late Saturday night, according to CNN. Italy dispatched a Portuguese merchant ship to the site. When the ship arrived, passengers on the overcrowded boat rushed to one side, which may be what caused it to capsize.
Reuters reported rescue teams found just 28 survivors, while CNN put the figure closer to 50, citing Maltese authorities.
The ship capsized about 190 km south of Lampedusa island and just 112 km off the coast of Libya.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said in a press conference Sunday he could not confirm the number of people on board, but that the death count would be a “dramatic amount.”
If the numbers are confirmed, it would be the deadliest in a multitude of fatal migrant trips from Libya to Italy.
“This is a tragedy,” Renzi said of the migration crisis. “We have thousands who are rescued and hundreds of people who cannot be rescued, who are victims of a criminal structure.”
The BBC estimated rescue boats have saved 13,500 migrants in the past week. Roughly 900 have died attempting the journey since January.
“If we can not remove the problem in Libya, we will never succeed in solving this terrible problem,” Renzi said.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US news, celebrity gossip, salacious scandals, dumb criminals and much more! Subscribe now for daily news animations that will knock your socks off.
Visit our official website for all the latest, uncensored videos: http://us.tomonews.net
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