Around 75 African migrants died in the Mediterranean after their stranded boat ran out of food and water, the United Nations said today, quoting the only five survivors of what it called a "shocking tragedy".
The mainly Eritrean migrants boarded a small boat from Tripoli, Libya for the crossing three weeks ago, and were passed by many vessels who failed to offer help after it ran out of fuel in just three days, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told a news briefing.
Italian customs found the boat yesterday, although a fishing boat had offered some bread and water earlier but left them to their fate, he said.
Reuters