Migrants en route to Italy, at least '43 dead'

600 aboard

 KAFR EL SHEIKH -- Pontoon boat sank with 600 migrants on board heading to Italy, at least 43 dead, Wednesday.

 Despite having been initially publicised as 300 aboard by ‘Al Jazeera’, it has come to light that in fact more than double this amount of men, women and children were travelling from this Egyptian city en route to Italy.

 The migrants are believed to be of Syrian, Egyptian and African origin and the Egyptian owner of the boat has been identified, according to ‘Youm7’.

 The Egyptian Ministry of Health has reported 43 dead, whilst the Egyptian Coastal Guard have saved the lives of 154.

 Sherif Ismail, Egyptian prime minister, has asked for, “the maximum resources necessary for the rescue operation -- it must be guaranteed that those responsible are brought to justice.” Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, also resinstated the importance of combatting human trafficking through means of legislation.

 Between January and June 2016, more than 2,800 have perished in the sea on voyage to a brighter future.

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