A group of four people who survived the disaster told rescuers that they were on a boat that had set off from Sfax in Tunisia and sank on its way to Italy.
With this kind of sea, these boats capsize easily," IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo told AFP.
Tunisian authorities say Sfax, a port city about 80 miles (130km) from Lampedusa, is a popular gateway for migrants seeking safety and a better life in Europe.
Tunisia has seen a wave of racism against black Africans in recent months and attempts to leave the country by boat have increased.
The United Nations has registered more than 17,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014, making it the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world.
It says the aim is to spread arrivals across the country, but NGOs say the policy reduces the amount of time they can patrol areas where shipwrecks are more common.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
A group of four people who survived the disaster told rescuers that they were on a boat that had set off from Sfax in Tunisia and sank on its way to Italy.
With this kind of sea, these boats capsize easily," IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo told AFP.
Tunisian authorities say Sfax, a port city about 80 miles (130km) from Lampedusa, is a popular gateway for migrants seeking safety and a better life in Europe.
Tunisia has seen a wave of racism against black Africans in recent months and attempts to leave the country by boat have increased.
The United Nations has registered more than 17,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014, making it the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world.
It says the aim is to spread arrivals across the country, but NGOs say the policy reduces the amount of time they can patrol areas where shipwrecks are more common.
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