At least 300 migrants are feared to
have drowned after attempting to
cross the Mediterranean Sea from
North Africa this week in rough seas,
the UN says.
UNHCR Europe director Vincent Cochetel
said the incident was a "tragedy on an
enormous scale".
Nine survivors brought to the island of
Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard are
believed to be from West Africa.
Initial reports on Monday suggested that
at least 29 migrants had died after their
dinghy overturned.
The UNHCR said that dinghy was one of
four that left Libya at the weekend.
Those rescued on Wednesday morning
had spent days drifting without food or
water in two of the other dinghies - with
each said to be carrying more than 100
people.
The survivors said the fourth dinghy
disappeared at sea.
Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the
UNHCR, said the victims had been
"swallowed up by the waves," with the
youngest a child of 12.
'Too little too late'
"This is a tragedy on an enormous scale
and a stark reminder that more lives
could be lost if those seeking safety are
left at the mercy of the sea," Mr
Cochetel said in a statement.
The UN said the latest incident should be
a message to the European Union that
the current search and rescue operation
in the Mediterranean was inadequate.
"Europe cannot afford to do too little too
late," Mr Cochetel added.
The survivors rescued on Wednesday
were from two of four dinghies that
left Libya at the weekend
In November, Italy ended an operation
known as Mare Nostrum, which was
launched in October 2013 in response to
a tragedy off Lampedusa in which 366
people died.
The year-long operation was aimed at
rescuing seaborne migrants, with Italian
vessels looking for ships carrying
migrants that may have run into trouble
off the Libyan coast.
Late last year, the UNHCR warned that
Italy's decision to end its operation in
the Mediterranean would almost
certainly lead to more deaths.
But other European countries, including
the UK, said a rescue service for migrants
could encourage them and so the
operation was scaled down.
The EU now runs a border control
operation, called Triton, which only
operates close to Europe's coast and with
fewer ships.
Analysis: Matthew Price, BBC News,
Italy
There is no way of knowing for sure
whether these men, women, and
children would have been saved if the
former Italian search-and-rescue
operation known as Mare Nostrum was
still running.
But having spent a week on board an
Italian navy frigate, I can be sure they
would have done their utmost to save as
many lives as possible.
The EU's Triton border patrol is not
designed to do that. It cannot pre-empt
trouble in international waters - it can
only act when lives are immediately at
risk.
The Italian operation was set up
differently. The naval crews knew they
had one single purpose - to prevent
death.
The UNHCR says almost 3,500 people
died attempting to cross the
Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe in
2014, making it the world's most
dangerous sea crossing for migrants.
A convoy of hearses arrived at the
Lampedusa harbour on Wednesday to
collect bodies of the victims
More than 200,000 people were rescued
in the Mediterranean during the same
period, many under the Mare Nostrum
mission prior to its abolition, and the
UNHCR expects the figure to remain high
in 2015.
At least a quarter of those attempting
the crossing are thought to be refugees
from Syria, rather than economic
migrants.
In a speech to the European Parliament
last year, Pope Francis called for a
"united response" to the issue, warning
that the Mediterranean could not be
allowed to become a "vast cemetery".
have drowned after attempting to
cross the Mediterranean Sea from
North Africa this week in rough seas,
the UN says.
UNHCR Europe director Vincent Cochetel
said the incident was a "tragedy on an
enormous scale".
Nine survivors brought to the island of
Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard are
believed to be from West Africa.
Initial reports on Monday suggested that
at least 29 migrants had died after their
dinghy overturned.
The UNHCR said that dinghy was one of
four that left Libya at the weekend.
Those rescued on Wednesday morning
had spent days drifting without food or
water in two of the other dinghies - with
each said to be carrying more than 100
people.
The survivors said the fourth dinghy
disappeared at sea.
Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the
UNHCR, said the victims had been
"swallowed up by the waves," with the
youngest a child of 12.
'Too little too late'
"This is a tragedy on an enormous scale
and a stark reminder that more lives
could be lost if those seeking safety are
left at the mercy of the sea," Mr
Cochetel said in a statement.
The UN said the latest incident should be
a message to the European Union that
the current search and rescue operation
in the Mediterranean was inadequate.
"Europe cannot afford to do too little too
late," Mr Cochetel added.
The survivors rescued on Wednesday
were from two of four dinghies that
left Libya at the weekend
In November, Italy ended an operation
known as Mare Nostrum, which was
launched in October 2013 in response to
a tragedy off Lampedusa in which 366
people died.
The year-long operation was aimed at
rescuing seaborne migrants, with Italian
vessels looking for ships carrying
migrants that may have run into trouble
off the Libyan coast.
Late last year, the UNHCR warned that
Italy's decision to end its operation in
the Mediterranean would almost
certainly lead to more deaths.
But other European countries, including
the UK, said a rescue service for migrants
could encourage them and so the
operation was scaled down.
The EU now runs a border control
operation, called Triton, which only
operates close to Europe's coast and with
fewer ships.
Analysis: Matthew Price, BBC News,
Italy
There is no way of knowing for sure
whether these men, women, and
children would have been saved if the
former Italian search-and-rescue
operation known as Mare Nostrum was
still running.
But having spent a week on board an
Italian navy frigate, I can be sure they
would have done their utmost to save as
many lives as possible.
The EU's Triton border patrol is not
designed to do that. It cannot pre-empt
trouble in international waters - it can
only act when lives are immediately at
risk.
The Italian operation was set up
differently. The naval crews knew they
had one single purpose - to prevent
death.
The UNHCR says almost 3,500 people
died attempting to cross the
Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe in
2014, making it the world's most
dangerous sea crossing for migrants.
A convoy of hearses arrived at the
Lampedusa harbour on Wednesday to
collect bodies of the victims
More than 200,000 people were rescued
in the Mediterranean during the same
period, many under the Mare Nostrum
mission prior to its abolition, and the
UNHCR expects the figure to remain high
in 2015.
At least a quarter of those attempting
the crossing are thought to be refugees
from Syria, rather than economic
migrants.
In a speech to the European Parliament
last year, Pope Francis called for a
"united response" to the issue, warning
that the Mediterranean could not be
allowed to become a "vast cemetery".
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