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| Scores Dead in Shipwreck Off Sicily | Scores Dead in Shipwreck Off Sicily |
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| SIRACUSA, Italy — In one of the deadliest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean recently, 94 migrants died on Thursday just off the coast of the island of Lampedusa, south of Sicily, when their boat sank after a fire ignited onboard. More than 200 people were still missing, officials said. | SIRACUSA, Italy — In one of the deadliest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean recently, 94 migrants died on Thursday just off the coast of the island of Lampedusa, south of Sicily, when their boat sank after a fire ignited onboard. More than 200 people were still missing, officials said. |
| The victims whose bodies have been retrieved are mostly Eritreans, Ghanese and Somalis, Italian authorities said. At least two children died in the accident. | The victims whose bodies have been retrieved are mostly Eritreans, Ghanese and Somalis, Italian authorities said. At least two children died in the accident. |
| Italian television footage showed the bodies lined up on the shore, in dark green and black body bags. So far, 151 people have been rescued. | Italian television footage showed the bodies lined up on the shore, in dark green and black body bags. So far, 151 people have been rescued. |
| The old wooden boat reportedly sailed from Misurata, Libya, and was carrying about 500 immigrants when it sank just half a mile off one of Sicily’s most famous beaches. In the early hours of the morning, the vessel moved close to shore and passengers ignited a blanket to signal their presence. Soon after, the boat was in flames, coast guard officials said. | The old wooden boat reportedly sailed from Misurata, Libya, and was carrying about 500 immigrants when it sank just half a mile off one of Sicily’s most famous beaches. In the early hours of the morning, the vessel moved close to shore and passengers ignited a blanket to signal their presence. Soon after, the boat was in flames, coast guard officials said. |
| The coast guard was alerted at 7.20 a.m. on Thursday by a tourist boat and a fishing boat that were in the area and saw the migrants’ boat in flames. Waters are 40 to 50 meters deep in that area and many migrants cannot swim, said a coast guard spokeswoman, Floriana Segreto. Six vessels from the coast guard and financial police and three helicopters are carrying out search and rescue operations. | |
| The infrastructure and transportation minister, Maurizio Lupi, said in a statement that search operations were continuing and the death toll was expected to rise. | The infrastructure and transportation minister, Maurizio Lupi, said in a statement that search operations were continuing and the death toll was expected to rise. |
| According to the International Organization for Migration, 25,000 people died in the Mediterranean in the last 20 years, but only 2,000 in 2011 and 1,700 last year. In the first nine months of this year, 21,780 migrants reached Italian shores and around 4,000 of them were children, according to statistics released by Save the Children. Most of the minors are not accompanied. | According to the International Organization for Migration, 25,000 people died in the Mediterranean in the last 20 years, but only 2,000 in 2011 and 1,700 last year. In the first nine months of this year, 21,780 migrants reached Italian shores and around 4,000 of them were children, according to statistics released by Save the Children. Most of the minors are not accompanied. |
| “Italy and Europe cannot ignore such a constant flux of foreign minors arriving alone, without any adults to take care of them,” Raffaella Milano, director of the Italian program of Save the Children, said in a statement. | “Italy and Europe cannot ignore such a constant flux of foreign minors arriving alone, without any adults to take care of them,” Raffaella Milano, director of the Italian program of Save the Children, said in a statement. |
| Mr. Lupi, the transportation minister, called the fight against people traffickers a “task which we have to take on and which the international community and the European Community have to take on as well.” | |
| Lampedusa is a small island in the Italian province that also includes the much larger island of Sicily. It is closer to the coast of Tunisia than to the Italian mainland. | |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | |
| Correction: October 3, 2013 | |
An earlier version of a picture caption misidentified the boat shown. It was one that sank near Italy on Monday, not one that sank on Thursday. |