Rabat – About 700 sub-Saharan immigrants are accounted for off Libyan waters, according to the UNHCR.
According to Italy’s ANSA news agency, an estimated 700 people were aboard and only 28 people had been rescued so far.
The accident, which could be the worst ever in European waters happened overnight about 60 miles (96km) off the Libyan coast and 120 miles (193km) south of the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The information was confirmed by Barbara Molinario, spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency.
“It’s clear that a boat overturned and there are people missing, but on numbers (dead or alive) it’s too soon to tell,” she said.
The accident happened when the immigrants saw a merchant ship in the distance. As they tried to attract its attention, they overbalanced the ship where they were traveling, which caused is to capsize.
“They wanted to be rescued. They saw another ship. They were trying to make themselves known to it,” Barbara Molnario said.
Last week another boat carrying 400 immigrants capsized in the Mediterranean.
With agencies
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