Five dead migrants recovered in Mediterranean, 300 rescued

The Italian coastguard has recovered the bodies of five migrants in the central Mediterranean during rescue operations that saved 300 others.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab

20 October, 2016

Since 2014 more than 10,000 migrants have lost their lives in the Mediterranean [Getty]

The bodies of five migrants were recovered in the central Mediterranean on Wednesday during rescue operations that saved 300 others, the Italian coastguard said in a statement.

The migrants were on board two inflatable dinghies and three small boats.

The dinghies were helped by a charity boat and an Irish naval vessel, which rescued 118 people and found five dead bodies.

Some 145,000 migrants have been picked up and brought to Italy since the start of 2016.

Since 2014 more than 10,000 migrants have lost their lives in the Mediterranean, according to UN figures.

At least 300,000 migrants have crossed the sea so far this year from various points of departure, the UN had said earlier this month.

The number is down from 520,000 in the first nine months of 2015.

But despite the lower numbers attempting the crossing, fatality rates had risen, with 2016 on track to be "the deadliest year on record in the Mediterranean Sea," said the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).