The Italian navy said at least 550 people had been pulled to safety off the coast of Libya but added that the rescue operation was still underway and that the death toll could rise. Shocking pictures show the vessel starting to lean to one side before refugees start diving into the water as it capsizes.
Frantic passengers swam for their lives as the boat started to overturn and sink beneath the surface. More than 6,000 migrants have been rescued from the Mediterranean in just over 48 hours as Italian officials revealed people smugglers now account for half of GDP along Libya's coast.
At least five migrants drowned off before they were rescued and pulled to safety. An Italian patrol boat actually saw that the vessel was in difficulty and approached it a little too late to hand out life jackets as the boat flipped over due to sudden movement of the passengers. They however threw life-rafts/jackets to the migrants in the water. Another navy ship in the area sent a helicopter, rescue boats to handle the emergency and hundreds of migrants were safely rescued.
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