At Least 14 Dead as Boat Bearing Migrants Sinks South of Italy

A boat carrying migrants headed for Italy sank off the coast of Libya on Monday, leaving at least 14 dead and many more missing.

Coast-guard and naval vessels have rescued about 200 people and found bodies in the water, news agency ANSA reports. According to some media accounts, the boat was carrying up to 400 people when it sank in the sea between Libya and Italy.

Military and merchant ships are still searching for more survivors and bodies in the waters surrounding the incident, the second deadly shipwreck in the area in two days. On Sunday, a migrant boat sank off the Libyan coast, claiming more than 40 lives.

More than 36,000 migrants have arrived at Italy’s southern coast during the first 4½ months of 2014, the New York Times reports.

Both Italy and Libya have called on European countries to help them cope with the increasing number of migrants from the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa arriving in southern Italy with boats from Libya.

“Europe isn’t helping us,” Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Monday in Bologna, before calling on Europe to help accommodate the thousands of migrants arriving in Italy, ANSA reports.

On Saturday, Libya’s Interior Minister warned Europe that Libya will “flood Europe” with migrants if countries don’t help deal with the migrant crisis.

“I warn the world, especially the European Union, unless they assume their responsibility … we warn that Libya could facilitate the passage of this flood (of illegal migrants) and fast,” Salah Mazeq said, according to CNN.

[ANSA]