Irish Navy rescues 300 migrants, but 90 drown elsewhere as they cross Mediterranean
Almost 300 migrants have been rescued from the Mediteranian by the Irish Navy.
The LÉ Samuel Beckett took the group from a rubber vessel during a three-hour operation off the coast of Libya.
The migrants are now receiving food, water and medical treatment onboard.
LÉ Samuel Beckett Rescues 299* Migrants During Search & Rescue Operations 38 Nautical Miles NE of Tripoli pic.twitter.com/xK6cuNy0iS
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) October 27, 2016
However, more than 90 migrants are believed to be dead after their rickety boat was damaged shortly after leaving elsewhere on the Libyan coast, officials say.
Italian Navy spokesman Ayoub Gassim said the coast guard has rescued 29 survivors, who said the plastic boat ripped and began filling with water about 26 miles off the Libyan coast - in international waters.
He said that a total of 126 migrants were in the boat, mostly African nationals.
The migrants left Tajoura, in western Libya, before dawn on Wednesday morning, and the coast guard received a call for help around 3pm local time.
The death toll for migrants in the Mediterranean has reached at least 3,800 this year so far, making 2016 the deadliest year ever for migrants in the Mediterranean.
