100 migrants feared dead after boat capsizes off Libya’s coast

Libya’s coast guard says about 100 migrants are missing at sea, feared dead after their boat capsized off the coast of this North African country.

Spokesman Ayoub Gassim told The Associated Press that the coast guard rescued 14 migrants but he couldn’t provide definitive numbers for the migrants who were on board or their nationalities.

He says the boat capsized east of the capital, Tripoli, and the 14 were rescued on Friday. It was unclear when they embarked on the perilous trip for Europe or from where they had set off.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Libya has emerged as a major transit point to Europe for those fleeing poverty and civil war elsewhere in Africa and the Middle East. Traffickers have exploited Libya’s chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

This year just over 11,400 arrivals from Libya have been registered by Italy’s interior ministry, more than 80 per cent fewer than during the same period in 2016 and 2017.

WATCH: Overloaded migrant boat tips over, prompting dramatic Mediterranean rescue

1:15 ‘Don’t move’: Overloaded migrant boat tips over, prompting dramatic Mediterranean rescue