700 Dead As Migrant Boat Sinks Off In Libya

A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy has capsized. The boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast. As many as 700 people have been reported dead in the worst disasters seen in the Mediterranean migrant crisis.

As at the time of the report, 28 people have been rescued while 24 bodies recovered. This new death will bring the total number of 1500 migrants that had died while trying to migrate from their countries to Europe in search of a better life and seeking to flee from war, poverty  and insecurity from the Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Many of the immigrants have reported to have travelled from Eritrea, Syria and Somalia.

                      

The incident happened in an area just off Libyan waters, 193km south of Lampedusa island, according to a report in the Times of Malta's website.

According to a report, On Saturday, the weather was sunny and good on the Saturday, but later turned cloudy and overcast, making the seas choppy. A Portuguese boat approaching the ship makes it people in the boat shift to one side of the boat, affecting the weight of the ship, and causing it to sink.

18 ships are currently involved in the rescue mission and they have sent out a distress signal for any other ships in the area in need of assistance.