The search for greener pasture took 17 lives in Mediterranean Sea

Seventeen migrants have died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean in a small inflatable boat. The migrants were found in a boat close to Libyan waters.

The navy said it had recovered 16 bodies aboard the boat, and one person died after being rescued. More than 70 survivors were also found.


pix:AFP/getty

Most of the deaths were reportedly caused by hypothermia or dehydration.

Italy has had to deal with a massive surge in migrants - many of them from the Middle East and the Horn of Africa - setting off on boats from Libya with hopes of reaching Europe.

About 150,000 migrants have been rescued by Italian ships over the past year.

The Italian navy has said it would continue to operate search-and-rescue missions for migrants, in parallel with Triton


Italy has urged more EU help to cope with boatloads of migrants from northern Africa
'New approach' needed
Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the latest boat carrying the dead migrants was intercepted some 150 miles (240 km) off the Italian island of Lampedusa - or some 40 miles (65 km) from the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

According to the Italian navy, more than 200 migrants had been rescued in other operations since Thursday.

Mare Nostrum was launched after hundreds of migrants drowned off Lampedusa. It was always intended to be a temporary mission.

Some critics - including UK officials - had argued that the operation was encouraging migrants to set off on un-seaworthy boats.
Culled from bbc