At least 240 migrants have drowned off the coast of Libya within the last 48 hours, possibly as an unintended consequence of European efforts to stop people-smugglers and to train Libyan coastguards, the UN's migration agency said on Thursday.
Among them at least 110 migrants are feared drowned after they were forced at gunpoint to set sail from Libya, while many more may have died in a separate shipwreck, survivors said Thursday.
"A vessel with around 140 people on board overturned Wednesday just a few hours after setting off from Libya, throwing everyone into the water. Only 29 people survived," UNHCR spokeswoman Carlotta Sami said.
The Norwegian Siem Pilot was first on the scene, around 20 nautical miles off Libya, and rescued the survivors – all in a poor condition after hours in the water – with the help of four other vessels. Twelve bodies were recovered.
Shot dead
Once the migrants had realised they were being put out to sea in bad weather, they tried to turn back, but were forced on at gunpoint.
"To make them get on the dinghies they (the traffickers) shot a man, killing him dead. They made them depart and after a few miles at sea the tragedy happened," Bartolo said.
"One woman said she had to hold on to a dead body to survive. They said they spent many hours in the water in the hope someone would save them. But when the rescuers arrived there was nothing to be done for most of them," he added.
The doctor said at least three children were among the dead.
The latest tragedy brings the number of migrants who have died or are missing feared drowned this year to over 4,000.
"Another tragedy on the high seas, with 240 feared dead in the Mediterranean, once again. So many lives could be saved through more resettlement and legal pathways to protection," said the UN's refugee chief Filippo Grandi.
Sami, the spokeswoman, tweeted: "One in every 42 people are dying in the Central Mediterranean looking for safety".
The rescue situation is often chaotic, with people confused, sick or exhausted after periods in crisis-hit Libya unable to specify how many people were on board their dinghies at the outset or what vessel pulled them from the water.