At least 14 people died when a boat packed with illegal immigrants sank between Libya and Italy on Monday, in the latest shipwreck tragedy to hit the Mediterranean.
The Italian navy said another 200 people had been rescued, while some media reports claimed as many as 400 people had been on board the ship just days after another migrant boat disaster off Libya.
“Fourteen bodies have been recovered so far. Medical workers on the Sirio and the Grecale are providing assistance to the 200 survivors,” the Italian navy said, referring to two warships on the scene.
The local Jesuit refugee centre said the toll could be significantly higher.