UN: 300 people die trying to reach Italy

More than 300 people probably died this week after attempting to reach Italy from Libya on four separate boats in stormy weather, the UN refugee agency said after speaking to a handful of survivors.

The sharp increase in the number of migrants dying while trying to cross the Mediterranean has reignited criticism of Italy’s decision last year to end a full-scale search-and-rescue mission, known as Mare Nostrum, in order to save costs.

Mare Nostrum was replaced by an EU border-control mission called Triton, which employs fewer ships and has a much smaller area of operation.