Hundreds feared dead after boat capsizes in Mediterranean

About 400 people are feared dead after a boat capsized off the coast of Libya on Monday.

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by Ellie Hooper |
Published on

The vessel, which was carrying about 550 migrants from the North African nation, overturned a day after setting sail, leaving hundreds floating in the Mediterranean sea.

Italian rescue services managed to pull 144 from the boat on Monday, but hundreds are still missing, feared drowned.

The migrants were trying to make their way to Italy
The migrants were trying to make their way to Italy

The Interior Ministry of Italy have warned officials to be prepared to house new migrants being recovered from the sea, as they are currently in ‘migration season.’

‘When the weather improves…we may have many more arrivals’ a Save the Children spokesperson confirmed.

In 2014 alone, 170,000 migrants crossed the Mediterranean sea to get to Italy, with over 3,500 dying while making the crossing.

Most of the migrants coming to Italian shores are travelling from Libya and Egypt, with Spain and France receiving more immigrants from Morroccan shores.

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