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| Africa North |
| Migrant ship capsizes off Libya, hundreds missing |
| 2009-04-01 |
| At least 20 migrants died and hundreds more are missing and feared dead after their overcrowded boat capsized in stormy seas off the coast of Libya, an international migration official and Libyan police said Tuesday. The capsized boat was carrying up to 257 people and a second vessel with about 350 migrants aboard was rescued, Laurence Hart, an official of The International Organization for Migration, told The Associated Press. At least 20 bodies were recovered and more than 20 people were rescued from the overturned boat, Hart and a Libyan police official said. "The first boat was rescued and is back to Tripoli. All of them are alive and safe," Hart said. "The second boat, I believe 240 people are missing. Rescue was quick for the first boat because they were near an oil platform that notified the Libyan coastal guards who quickly rescued the migrants," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |