90 migrants feared dead after boat capsizes off Libya

An estimated 90 migrantsare feared to have drowned off the coast of Libya after asmuggler's boat capsized early on Friday, leaving three knownsurvivors and 10 bodies washed up on shore, the InternationalOrganization for Migration (IOM) said.

Survivors told aid workers that most of the migrants on the boat were Pakistanis, who form a growing group heading to Italyfrom North Africa, IOM spokespersonOlivia Headon, speaking fromTunis, said at a news briefing in Geneva.

"They have given an estimate of 90 who drowned during thecapsize, but we still have to verify the exact number of peoplewho lost their lives during the tragedy," she said.

"What has been reported to us is that it's mostly Pakistaniswho were on board the boat, but we still need to verify the nationalities and how many from what country," she said.

Ten bodies have washed up on Libyan shorestwo are known to be Libyans and eight are from Pakistani, she said.

"I believe the Libyan coast guard is looking for othersurvivors off the coast," Headon added.

Earlier, security officials in the western Libyan town ofZurawa said two Libyans and one Pakistani had been rescued fromthe boat.

Effort to halt departures

Zuwara, located near Libya's border with Tunisia, was afavoured site for migrant boat departures over the past two years, but of late has seen only occasional departures.

Libya is the main gateway for migrants trying to cross toEurope by sea, though numbers have dropped sharply since July asLibyan factions and authorities under pressure from Italy andthe European Union have begun to block departures.

More than 600,000 people are believed to have made thejourney from Libya to Italy over the past four years.

Prior to Friday's incident, some 6,624 migrants are believedto have arrived in Europe by seathis year and a further246 have died, according to IOM figures.

The Libyan coast guard, which receives EU funding and training, has become more assertive in recent months in intercepting migrants and returningthem to Libya.

Activists have criticized the policy, saying migrants oftenface extreme hardship and abuse in Libya, including forced labour, according to Human Rights Watch and other rights groups.

Migrants caught trying to cross to Italy are put inseverely overcrowded detention centres authorized by the Interior Ministry.