Up to one hundred and fifty people are feared to have been killed in a shipwreck off the northwestern Libyan coast, according to the United Nations Refugee agency. Another 150 passengers were reportedly rescued
The ship embarked from the city of Khoms, about 75 miles (120 km) east of Tripoli, and some 300 were thought to be aboard, according to Reuters. It is still unclear whether one or two vessels were involved in the wreck.
Survivors were taken to safety by local fishermen and the Libyan coastguard, UN spokesman Charlie Yaxley said.
Libya is a hub for migrants seeking entry into Europe, many attempting to traverse the Mediterranean in crudely constructed or overcrowded vessels, ranging from decrepit ships to inflatable rafts. Thursday’s wreck, if confirmed, would be the most deadly accident in the Mediterranean this year. Last year, over 2,000 migrants died trying to make the same journey.
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