8 migrants drowned and 100 are missing off Libyan coast. (Photo: AP)
At least eight migrants drowned when their Europe-bound boat sank off Libya’s coast and at least 100 people are missing, a coastguard official said on Saturday.
The eight bodies were on an inflatable craft that can carry up to 120 passengers, said Colonel Fathi al-Rayani, head of the coastguard in Garabulli, 60km east of Tripoli.
He estimated that “at least 100” migrants were missing.
The boat was spotted deflated off Garabulli, and the coastguard found the bodies inside, said an AFP reporter who accompanied them.
Conflict-ravaged Libya has long been a stepping stone for migrants seeking a better life in Europe.
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