At least 94 people have died after a boat carrying hundreds of migrants sank off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, with rescuers warning that the number could rise significantly as searches continue for around 250 people missing.
Coastguards said the alarm had first been raised early on Thursday morning by fishing boats who reported that a vessel was in trouble in the waters near the Mediterranean island that is a frequent destination for people wanting to reach Europe from the northern African coast.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR said it believed there were around 500 passengers, all Eritreans who had boarded in Libya.
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