CAIRO (AP) — The Libyan coast guard says 97 migrants are missing and believed drowned after their Europe-bound boat sank on a perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea.

Spokesman Ayoub Gassim says 23 migrants were rescued around 6 miles (10 kilometers) off the coast after authorities received a distress call Thursday morning.

Fifteen women and five children are among those still missing.

He says the boat, which was loaded with African nationals seeking a better life in Europe, "completely collapsed."

Chaotic Libya has become a major avenue of migration, with thousands braving the dangerous sea crossing to Europe. More than 4,500 migrants perished on the crossing in 2016 alone. </s> CAIRO — The Libyan coast guard says 97 migrants are missing and believed drowned after their Europe-bound boat sank on a perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea.

Spokesman Ayoub Gassim says 23 migrants were rescued around 6 miles (10 ) off the coast after authorities received a distress call Thursday morning.

Fifteen women and five children are among those still missing.

He says the boat, which was loaded with African nationals seeking a better life in Europe, "completely collapsed."

Chaotic Libya has become a major avenue of migration, with thousands braving the dangerous sea crossing to Europe. More than 4,500 migrants perished on the crossing in 2016 alone. </s> At least 97 African migrants are believed drowned after their boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea today.

The Libyan coast guard said 23 people were rescued, but most are still missing.

Spokesman Ayoub Gassim said 23 migrants were rescued around 6 miles off the Libyan coast after authorities received a distress call.

Fifteen women and five children are among those still missing.

He said the boat, which was packed with African nationals seeking a better life in Europe, ‘completely collapsed.’

Chaotic Libya has become a major avenue of migration, with thousands braving the dangerous sea crossing to Europe.

More than 4,500 migrants perished on the crossing in 2016 alone.

Smugglers use often rickety vessels to ferry thousands of migrants from the north African country to Europe each month. Mass drownings are common when the overloaded boats capsize or sink.

The German government on Thursday said it would support a ban on the export of boats from the European Union to Libya as part of measures to stem the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean. </s> More than 80 people missing after boat sinks off Tunisian coast

More than 80 people missing after boat sinks off Tunisian coast

The boat capsized off the Tunisian coast. File pic

A boat carrying 86 migrants has sank in the Mediterranean - and 82 people have been reported missing.

Fishermen came across the sinking boat, nine miles from the town of Zarzis off the coast of Tunisia, late on Wednesday.

They were able to pull four men from the vessel but there was no trace of the other passengers, according to Lorena Lando, head of the International Organisation for Migration in Tunisia.

One of those rescued, a man from the Ivory Coast, died overnight in hospital.

Those on board are thought to have been migrants who had departed from the Libyan city of Zuwara.

In May, at least 65 migrants drowned after their boat capsized while heading from Libya to Europe.

African migrants often depart from the west coast of Libya and head to Europe in search of a better life.

But many rely on human traffickers, and end up travelling in unsafe boats.

Aid workers have warned that the recent fighting in Libya could prompt more Libyans to flee their country.

However, an operation run by the Italians and the Libyan coast guard has seen a recent drop in the number of people sailing for Europe. </s> Ninety-seven migrants are missing and believed drowned after their Europe-bound boat sank on a crossing of the Mediterranean Sea, the Libyan coast guard has said.

Spokesman Ayoub Gassim said 23 migrants were rescued around six miles (10km) off the coast after authorities received a distress call on Thursday morning.

Fifteen women and five children are among those still missing.

He said the boat, which was loaded with African nationals, "completely collapsed".

Libya has become a major avenue of migration, with thousands braving the dangerous sea crossing to Europe. More than 4,500 migrants perished on the crossing in 2016 alone. </s> A boat packed with African nationals has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea, the Libyan coast guard said.

At least 97 migrants, including children, are believed to have drowned after their Europe-bound inflatable boat "completely collapsed," said spokesman Ayoub Gassim.

Gassim said 23 migrants were rescued around six miles (10 kilometers) off the Libyan coast after authorities received a distress call.

In February, the bodies of 74 drowned migrants washed ashore from the Mediterranean in Libya, as thousands tackle the dangerous sea crossing to Europe every year.

Smugglers use often unsafe boats to ferry thousands of migrants from the north African country to Europe each month. Mass drownings are common when the overloaded boats capsize or sink.

The German government said on Thursday that it would support a ban on the export of boats from the European Union to Libya as part of measures to stem the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean. </s> At least 97 Libyan migrants are feared dead after their boat sank Thursday in the Mediterranean Sea, en route to Europe, Libyan authorities said.

A spokesman for the Libyan Coast Guard said authorities rescued 23 migrants a few kilometers off the Libyan coast after receiving a distress call from their sinking boat.

By the time the Coast Guard arrived, spokesman Ayoub Gassim said the boat, which was packed with African migrants, "completely collapsed."

He said the survivors were all men who were found hanging onto a flotation device. The others were "probably dead," he said.

Libya serves as a popular starting point for migrants, mostly from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, to try to reach Europe. Smugglers use dilapidated boats to take thousands of migrants on the long, dangerous journey across the Mediterranean.

Mass drownings like the one feared to have happened Thursday are becoming more common as traffickers pack as many migrants as possible onto rickety boats.

The International Organization for Migration reports that as of April 9, some 664 migrants have died on the Mediterranean, with 90 percent on the Libya-to-Italy route. </s> TRIPOLI, April 13 (Reuters) - Close to 100 migrants were feared missing after their boat sank off the Libyan coast near Tripoli on Thursday, a coastguard official said.

Coastguard spokesman Ayoub Qassem said 23 migrants were rescued from the craft off Gargaresh, a western suburb of Tripoli. Survivors said the inflatable boat had set off with about 120 people on board.

"Some 97 are still missing, including 15 women and children," Qassem said. "What happened is that the base of the boat got wrecked and the boat had sunk."

Libya is the main departure point for migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea, and more than 150,000 have made the crossing from Libya to Italy in each of the past three years.

Smugglers put most of the migrants in flimsy inflatable dinghies that get picked up by rescue ships and other vessels once they reach international waters. Some are intercepted and turned back by the Libyan coastguard. (Reporting by Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Toby Chopra) </s> More than 80 people missing after boat sinks off Tunisian coast

More than 80 people missing after boat sinks off Tunisian coast

The boat capsized off the Tunisian coast. File pic

Eighty-two people are missing after the boat they were in sank off the coast of Tunisia.

Tunisian fishermen came across the sinking boat near the town of Zarzis late on Wednesday.

They were able to pull out four men but there was no trace of any of the other passengers, according to Lorena Lando, head of the International Organization for Migration in Tunisia.

Those on board are thought to have been migrants.

One of those rescued, a man from the Ivory Coast, died overnight in hospital.

In May, at least 65 migrants drowned after their boat capsized while heading from Libya to Europe.
A boat carrying migrants sinks off the coast of Libya, with 97 people reported missing. 23 others were rescued by the Libyan coast guard.