ROME -- As many as 400 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea whilst trying to reach the southern coasts of Europe in four inflatable boats that sunk, maritime sources say.  Most of the dead were reported to be Somali.  Somali ambassador to Egypt and the Executive Director for Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth said four boats that have sunk. 

  Events like these, said Italian President Sergio Mattarella, are a reminder that you need to reflect, “There’s a real need to think today, we are reminded of that by yet another tragedy in the Mediterranean where there seem to be hundreds of deaths just a year after the tragedy which caused 800 deaths.”

 On Sunday there was another rescue operation by the Roman Coast Guard that succeeded in saving 108 people from cargo boat, the Aquarius, in the Sicilian Channel, however there were six bodies along with those living.  The unit managed to reach the cargo boat despite the perilous sea conditions that were putting it in danger of capsizing.

 The Aquarius, which departed from the port of Zabratah in Libya before arriving off the coast near Lampedusa, left with 130-140 migrants.  The news emerged from the 108 who arrived that six had died en route, two drowned and others have gone missing after being thrown into the water at the panic of the arrival of the rescue craft, after the boat had almost completely deflated after nine hours on the water and succumbing to force 5-6 winds.

 jp-ch