Another African migrant boat capsizes off Sicily leaving 200 dead
A boat carrying an estimated 200 migrants has capsized on Friday off the Italian island of Lampedusa where a shipwreck last week left more than 300 dead.
Italian coastguard and Maltese government officials said a search and rescue operation is now under way.
The capsizing of the boat occurred in waters where Malta has search and rescue responsibilities.
A boat carrying about 200 migrants has capsized today off the Italian island of Lampedusa where a shipwreck last week left more than 300 dead
A boat carrying about 200 migrants has capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa where a shipwreck last week left more than 300 dead. Above, coastguard boats patrol the area (file photo)
Italian coastguard spokesman Marco Di Milla said an Italian ship was sent to help.
A Maltese armed forces aircraft spotted the wreckage initially and asked for Italy’s help.
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Last week, a ship carrying some 500 Eritrean and Somali migrants capsized off Lampedusa, killing more than 300 people.
The deaths have prompted calls for the European Union to do more to better patrol the southern Mediterranean and prevent such tragedies.