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ROME » A boat carrying an estimated 200 migrants has capsized off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa where a shipwreck last week left more than 300 dead.
Italian coast guard and Maltese government officials say a search and rescue operation is underway. The capsizing occurred today in waters where Malta has search and rescue responsibilities.
Italian coast guard spokesman Marco Di Milla said an Italian ship was sent to help. A Maltese armed forces aircraft spotted the wreckage initially and asked for Italy’s help.
Last week, a ship carrying some 500 people capsized off Lampedusa, killing more than 300 people. The deaths have prompted calls for the European Union to do more to better patrol the southern Mediterranean and prevent such tragedies.
