![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nigerianews.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/migrants-boat-e1474467124856.jpg\")
Migrants crossing the sea\nAfrican Migrants Drown, Others Rescued As Boat Sinks Off Libya Coast<\/p>\n
Migrants crossing the sea
\nAfrican Migrants Drown, Others Rescued As Boat Sinks Off Libya Coast<\/p>\n
At least eight migrants have drowned and 84 have been rescued after a rubber boat (dinghy) sank off the coast of Libya, the Italian coastguard said.<\/p>\n
Dozens of others might still be missing, the Spanish rescue charity Proactiva Open Arms said.<\/p>\n
It is believed to be the first sinking of a migrant boat in the Mediterranean in 2018.<\/p>\n
The sea crossing to Europe is the deadliest route in the world for migrants, the UN says.<\/p>\n
BBC reports that nearly 34,000 migrants have drowned or gone missing in the waters since 2000, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration.<\/p>\n
The German charity Sea-Watch said at least 25 people had died but numbers were still unclear. One of its boats was on the way to the scene north of Tripoli, it added.<\/p>\n
Proactiva Open Arms said many of those rescued had spent hours in the water.<\/p>\n
The coastguard said the partly submerged dinghy was spotted by a surveillance aircraft engaged in the EU\u2019s Operation Sophia, which aims to intercept boats engaged in people smuggling.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe search continues for survivors,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n
In 2017 nearly 3,000 migrants were believed to have drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Migrants crossing the sea African Migrants Drown, Others Rescued As Boat Sinks Off Libya Coast At least eight migrants have drowned and 84 have been rescued after a rubber boat (dinghy) sank off the coast of Libya, the Italian coastguard said. Dozens of others might still be missing, the Spanish rescue charity Proactiva Open Arms […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[270,272,271,273],"yoast_head":"\n