World News for Students of English

11-08-2015 07:00

A boat packed with up to 700 migrants has capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya with dozens confirmed dead. So far, around 400 people have been rescued and 25 bodies have been recovered.

Authorities said as many as 100 people may have been in the hull when the steel boat capsized as rescue ships approached it. Overloaded boats carrying migrants often turn over due to sudden movements by the desperate passengers when they spot rescuers arriving. The Mediterranean Sea has become the world’s most deadly border area for migrants – more than 2,000 migrants and refugees have died so far this year in attempts to reach Europe by boat.

“It was a fishing boat. It was packed by survivors’ accounts, with about 600 people. These are boats that should only have about 30 or 40 or 50 on board, not 600, so obviously the people were stuffed down into the hull, shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet in every nook and cranny, so much that when a rescue boat approached, people became anxious and excited and tipped the boat over so that it capsized, and according to people on the rescue boat, it sank within minutes.

At least 400 have been rescued – unfortunately, 25 so far dead. The operation is continuing. It will continue through the night, recovering bodies and hopefullly finding more survivors.”

Difficult words: capsize (to turn over), due to (because of), desperate (willing to do anything to change a situation), attempt (to try), account (a statement), hull (the main body of a ship), every nook and cranny (every part of something).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com