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| Lampedusa boat disaster: Divers hope to resume search | Lampedusa boat disaster: Divers hope to resume search |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Divers are hoping to resume their search for the bodies of more than 200 migrants, two days after their boat sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa. | |
| Rescuers have so far found 111 bodies, and 155 people have been pulled alive from the seas 1km (half-a-mile) from the island in the Mediterranean. | Rescuers have so far found 111 bodies, and 155 people have been pulled alive from the seas 1km (half-a-mile) from the island in the Mediterranean. |
| Many bodies are expected to be found in the shipwreck. The search was hampered on Friday by rough seas. | Many bodies are expected to be found in the shipwreck. The search was hampered on Friday by rough seas. |
| The boat was carrying some 500 people - mostly from Eritrea and Somalia. | The boat was carrying some 500 people - mostly from Eritrea and Somalia. |
| The 20m (66ft) vessel began taking on water when its motor stopped working as it neared Lampedusa on Thursday morning, survivors said. | The 20m (66ft) vessel began taking on water when its motor stopped working as it neared Lampedusa on Thursday morning, survivors said. |
| Some of those on board then reportedly set fire to a piece of material to try to attract the attention of passing ships, only to have the fire spread to the rest of the boat. | Some of those on board then reportedly set fire to a piece of material to try to attract the attention of passing ships, only to have the fire spread to the rest of the boat. |
| The boat - which set sail from the Libyan port of Misrata - is thought to have capsized when everyone moved to one side. | The boat - which set sail from the Libyan port of Misrata - is thought to have capsized when everyone moved to one side. |
| Video footage later showed the vessel lying upright on the seabed some 150ft (45m) below the surface. | Video footage later showed the vessel lying upright on the seabed some 150ft (45m) below the surface. |
| 'Savage world' | 'Savage world' |
| Divers are hoping to resume the search in the coming hours, officials say. | Divers are hoping to resume the search in the coming hours, officials say. |
| "Though the bad sea conditions persist, our guys are ready to go down if a window opens up that makes it safe for them," coastguard spokesman Filippo Marini told Reuters. | "Though the bad sea conditions persist, our guys are ready to go down if a window opens up that makes it safe for them," coastguard spokesman Filippo Marini told Reuters. |
| The operation had initially focused on off an area of Lampedusa called Rabbit Island, but the search was then widened beyond the initial radius of four nautical miles in an effort to recover bodies that had been swept away by tides. | The operation had initially focused on off an area of Lampedusa called Rabbit Island, but the search was then widened beyond the initial radius of four nautical miles in an effort to recover bodies that had been swept away by tides. |
| The divers have been describing seeing horrific scenes inside the wreckage. | The divers have been describing seeing horrific scenes inside the wreckage. |
| Key migrant routes to southern Europe | Key migrant routes to southern Europe |
| So many bodies have been brought ashore that the island has had to send for more coffins and turn a hangar at the airport into a huge makeshift mortuary. | So many bodies have been brought ashore that the island has had to send for more coffins and turn a hangar at the airport into a huge makeshift mortuary. |
| Italians are aghast at the scale of the tragedy - Italy's worst ever migrant shipwreck, the BBC's Alan Johnston says. | Italians are aghast at the scale of the tragedy - Italy's worst ever migrant shipwreck, the BBC's Alan Johnston says. |
| A day of mourning was observed on Friday, with flags flying at half-mast and a minute of silence held in all Italian schools. | A day of mourning was observed on Friday, with flags flying at half-mast and a minute of silence held in all Italian schools. |
| An evening mass and silent candlelit procession were held on Lampedusa. Most residents of the island turned out, the BBC's Gavin Hewitt reports from the scene. | An evening mass and silent candlelit procession were held on Lampedusa. Most residents of the island turned out, the BBC's Gavin Hewitt reports from the scene. |
| People were sombre, but also angry that such tragedies were happening all too often and so little was being done to prevent them, he adds. | People were sombre, but also angry that such tragedies were happening all too often and so little was being done to prevent them, he adds. |
| Pope Francis, visiting Assisi, described Friday as "a day of tears" for the victims and condemned a "savage world" that ignores the plight of "people who have to flee poverty and hunger". | Pope Francis, visiting Assisi, described Friday as "a day of tears" for the victims and condemned a "savage world" that ignores the plight of "people who have to flee poverty and hunger". |
| He said he wanted to use abandoned Catholic monasteries and convents to house refugees. | He said he wanted to use abandoned Catholic monasteries and convents to house refugees. |
| Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini - who wept at the scene - said: "After these deaths, we are expecting something to change. Things cannot stay the same. | Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini - who wept at the scene - said: "After these deaths, we are expecting something to change. Things cannot stay the same. |
| "The future of Lampedusa is directly linked to policies on immigration and asylum." | "The future of Lampedusa is directly linked to policies on immigration and asylum." |
| Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said: "This is not an Italian tragedy, this is a European tragedy. Lampedusa has to be considered the frontier of Europe, not the frontier of Italy." | Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said: "This is not an Italian tragedy, this is a European tragedy. Lampedusa has to be considered the frontier of Europe, not the frontier of Italy." |
| Mr Alfano said the divers had seen dozens of bodies in the wreck. "There could be even more in the hold, where the poorest of the poor are usually put," he told parliament. | Mr Alfano said the divers had seen dozens of bodies in the wreck. "There could be even more in the hold, where the poorest of the poor are usually put," he told parliament. |
| Half of the bodies so far recovered are said to be women and four are children. | Half of the bodies so far recovered are said to be women and four are children. |
| The skipper of the boat, a 35-year-old Tunisian, has been arrested. It has emerged that he was deported from Italy in April. | The skipper of the boat, a 35-year-old Tunisian, has been arrested. It has emerged that he was deported from Italy in April. |
| Footage from Lampedusa showed bodies being laid out on the dockside. | Footage from Lampedusa showed bodies being laid out on the dockside. |
| Mr Nicolini described the scene as a "continuous horror", while a local doctor said the hardest part to deal with was seeing the bodies of children. | Mr Nicolini described the scene as a "continuous horror", while a local doctor said the hardest part to deal with was seeing the bodies of children. |
| An Eritrean woman who had initially been placed among the bodies on the shore was later found to be breathing and was taken to hospital in Sicily. | An Eritrean woman who had initially been placed among the bodies on the shore was later found to be breathing and was taken to hospital in Sicily. |
| In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres commended the swift action taken by the Italian coastguard to save lives. | In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres commended the swift action taken by the Italian coastguard to save lives. |
| Mr Guterres also expressed "dismay at the rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea". | Mr Guterres also expressed "dismay at the rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea". |
| The UN said that in recent months, most migrants attempting the crossing were fleeing the conflicts in Syria and the Horn of Africa rather than coming from sub-Saharan Africa. | The UN said that in recent months, most migrants attempting the crossing were fleeing the conflicts in Syria and the Horn of Africa rather than coming from sub-Saharan Africa. |
| The number of those arriving by sea to Italy this year until 30 September stood at 30,100, according to the UN. | The number of those arriving by sea to Italy this year until 30 September stood at 30,100, according to the UN. |
| The main nationalities of those arriving were Syrian (7,500), Eritrean (7,500) and Somali (3,000). | The main nationalities of those arriving were Syrian (7,500), Eritrean (7,500) and Somali (3,000). |