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1st LD Writethru: Dozens migrants feared to have drowned off Libya: Italian media

Xinhua, May 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Dozens of migrants are feared to have drowned as their packed boat capsized off the Libyan coast, Italian media said on Thursday.

The alarm was sounded by an aircraft of the European Union (EU) naval operation Eunavformed, which pinpointed a boat in trouble with around 100 migrants onboard, according to ANSA news agency.

Between 20 and 30 migrants were feared to have drowned in the disaster, while more than 80 were saved in a rescue operation carried out by Eunavformed aircraft and vessels, and ships of the Italian coastal guard, ANSA said.

Thousands of migrants have been rescued by the Italian coastal guard and navy off the Libyan coast over the past few days, Rai state television said.

Among them, there were 17 suspected human smugglers who were detained by Italian police, Rai added.

Thursday's disaster came a day after at least five migrants were killed and more than 550 saved in another deadly shipwreck occurred in the southern Mediterranean sea. Endit