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| Malta boat sinking 'leaves 500 dead' - IOM | Malta boat sinking 'leaves 500 dead' - IOM |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| About 500 migrants are feared dead after their ship was rammed by another boat near Malta last week, a migration body said. | About 500 migrants are feared dead after their ship was rammed by another boat near Malta last week, a migration body said. |
| Two Palestinian survivors told the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) that the boat had been intentionally sunk by traffickers. | Two Palestinian survivors told the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) that the boat had been intentionally sunk by traffickers. |
| They said the boat had left Damietta in Egypt in early September. | |
| News of the sinking near Malta emerged as another vessel carrying 250 people sank off the coast of Libya. | News of the sinking near Malta emerged as another vessel carrying 250 people sank off the coast of Libya. |
| Over 200 people are feared to have drowned in that incident. | Over 200 people are feared to have drowned in that incident. |
| Thousands of migrants have drowned in recent years as they attempt to reach Europe from North Africa and the Middle East. | Thousands of migrants have drowned in recent years as they attempt to reach Europe from North Africa and the Middle East. |
| Many do so in unsafe and overcrowded vessels. | Many do so in unsafe and overcrowded vessels. |
| Violent confrontation | Violent confrontation |
| IOM spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume said that the two survivors were rescued on Thursday, the day after their boat sank. | IOM spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume said that the two survivors were rescued on Thursday, the day after their boat sank. |
| They said traffickers rammed the boat after an argument on board. The IOM said there were nine known survivors in total. | They said traffickers rammed the boat after an argument on board. The IOM said there were nine known survivors in total. |
| The boat had been carrying Syrians, Palestinians, Egyptians and Sudanese, they said. The passengers included women and children. | The boat had been carrying Syrians, Palestinians, Egyptians and Sudanese, they said. The passengers included women and children. |
| The passengers were reportedly told to move to a smaller, less safe boat. | The passengers were reportedly told to move to a smaller, less safe boat. |
| When they refused, the traffickers sank the larger vessel, the eyewitnesses said. | When they refused, the traffickers sank the larger vessel, the eyewitnesses said. |
| The Maltese authorities have not yet commented on the incident. | The Maltese authorities have not yet commented on the incident. |