Hundreds of migrants feared drowned

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Hundreds were feared dead Tuesday in the chilly waters of the Mediterranean Sea, days after an overcrowded wooden fishing boat packed with migrants seeking a better life in Europe capsized in stormy waters off the coast of Libya.

A few survivors — those who could swim — were rescued, but authorities pulled 21 bodies from the waters and at least 200 more were still missing after the boat capsized Friday. It is believed to be the deadliest migrant ship accident between North Africa and Europe in recent memory, an international migration official said.

Thousands of African, Asian and Middle Eastern migrants fleeing wars and poverty use Libya and other North African countries as launching pads for the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean to southern Europe — often in rickety, overloaded boats. Another flimsy vessel with about 350 migrants was rescued about a day later in the same area where the fishing boat capsized.

While thousands make it safely, hundreds are believed to die in the journey each year. The route between Libya to an island off the coast of southern Italy is one of the most heavily traveled for illegal migrants trying to reach Europe.

The capsized boat, which a Libyan police official said had a capacity of just 50, overturned Friday in high winds with about 250 on board. Six drowned bodies pulled from the water were seen stretched out among piles of nets and frayed ropes on the deck of a fishing boat that took part in the rescue.

“It is hard to imagine that there are survivors among the missing by now,” said Laurence Hart, an official based in Libya with the International Organization for Migration.

Only 21 people were rescued by authorities, said Libyan police spokesman Col. Najy Abou Harous.

“The smugglers packed it with hundreds. These are wooden fishing boats, not for sailing,” Harous said. The survivors said a hole in the boat may have caused it to sink, he said.

Libyan officials did not release any information on accident until Tuesday, and by then, it appeared rescue efforts were over.

The second boat packed shoulder-to-shoulder with migrants was rescued safely in the same area about 30 miles from the coast either late Saturday or early Sunday after an Italian merchant ship received a distress call, said Italian port authority spokesman Capt. Cosimo Nicastro.

Many migrants on that boat shown on Libyan state television appeared to be African men, though there were also a few women and children in the group. One man held a baby as he helped a woman struggling to walk.

Hart said many of those rescued from both boats were from Bangladesh and some were Egyptian.