As the crises in the Middle-east intensify, migrants have been pouring into the nearby Mediterranean in search of a better life. Thousands from areas like Syria, Libya, Iraq and West Africa have left their homes, belongings and livelihoods to embark on potentially dangerous and mostly illegal journeys across the sea. There have been several boat accidents over the past couple of months, with several hundreds of these migrants dying or going missing at sea due to overcrowded boats - the latest one being the migrant boat that capsized near the Italian island of Lampedusa. A look at the current situation. Photos: AP/Reuters
As many as 700 people were feared dead after a fishing boat packed with migrants capsized around 70 miles from the Libyan coast, south of the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. Here, a migrant boy sleeps in a temporary camp in Lampedusa. Photo: AP
Migrants crowd at the rail, aboard an Italian navy vessel as it cruises towards Italian port of Messina on Saturday April 18. Twenty eight people were rescued and 24 bodies recovered from the 20 metre-long vessel that capsized. Photo: AP
According to the International Organisation for Migration, as of April 17, the total number of migrants reaching the Italian coasts is 21,191 since 1 January 2015. Photo: Reuters
In this June 2014 file photo released by the Italian Navy, a motor boat from the Italian frigate Grecale approaches a boat overcrowded with migrants in the Mediterranean Sea. The Italian coast guard and navy rescued more than 500 migrants whose boats ran into trouble in the Mediterranean Sea during that time. Photo: AP
In this image provided by Italian Firefighters, a boat lies underwater in October 2013. It was transporting hundreds of migrants before catching fire and sinking off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa. Some 500 people were allegedly on board when the boat capsized, of which only 155 survived. Photo: AP
Italian Coast Guard personnel recover a body bag on their patrol boat in Lampedusa island, Italy in October 2013. Before the 2015 disaster, this was the worst shipwreck to have taken place in the area. A majority of the dead were women. Photo: AP.
Published - April 19, 2015 09:34 pm IST