The Italian and Irish navies said their boats were responding to a distress call sent out by the vessel. Captain Donal Gallagher, of the Irish navy, told AP that 150 migrants were spotted in the water and that rescue efforts by several ships were underway. An Italian military helicopter was lowering life rafts, the news agency reported.
The Médecins Sans Frontières rescue vessel Dignity is close to the area to offer first assistance, the Times of Malta reports.
It is likely to be the biggest migrant incident since 850 migrants drowned in a single incident last April.
[Sputnik]
5/8/15
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Rescue under way as migrant boat capsizes off Libya...
ReplyDeleteRescuers are searching for hundreds of migrants in the Mediterranean after a boat carrying as many as 600 people capsized off the coast of Libya.
The Irish navy said "significant loss of life" was feared and Medecins Sans Frontieres confirmed "many deaths".
But the Italian coast guard and the UN refugee agency say about 400 have been rescued and 25 bodies recovered so far.
More than 2,000 migrants are said to have died in 2015 trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe.
Wednesday's incident occurred when the packed fishing boat ran into rough weather about 15 miles (25km) from Libya's coast.
A distress call was picked up in Sicily and one of the first ships on the scene was an Irish navy vessel, Le Niamh. But as she launched her boats, the migrants apparently moved to one side of the fishing boat, causing it to capsize.
At least three other ships and three helicopters were reported to have arrived in the area shortly afterwards.............http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33791920
Un bateau chavire au large de la Libye, des centaines de migrants portés disparus...
ReplyDeletePlusieurs centaines de migrants qui tentaient de gagner l'Europe étaient portés disparus, mercredi, après le naufrage de leur embarcation au large de la Libye.
Plus de 200 personnes étaient portées disparues mercredi après-midi au large des côtes libyennes après le naufrage d'un bateau de pêche surchargé de migrants, ont annoncé les gardes-côtes italiens.
Une opération de secours massive a permis de récupérer quelque 400 survivants et 25 corps, selon un dernier bilan des gardes-côtes effectué à 16 h GMT, mais d'après plusieurs sources, il y avait plus de 600 personnes à bord. Sept navires de secours participaient aux opérations, soutenus par des hélicoptères qui ont également déposé sur la zone des canots de secours pour permettre aux naufragés de s'accrocher.........http://www.france24.com/fr/20150805-bateau-chavire-libye-centaines-migrants-disparus-secours-mediterranee-italie