50 Dead in Fresh Boat Capsizing between Malta, Italy=0A=0A2013-10-12 =
01:13:41 =A0 =A0 Xinhua =A0 =A0 =A0 Web Editor: Mao Yaqing=0A=0ASome 50 peo=
ple, including 10 children, have died after a boat carrying some 250 Africa=
n migrants capsized on Friday in waters between Malta and Italy's Sicily, a=
week after a shipwreck left more than 300 people dead near the Italian isl=
and of Lampedusa, local media reported.=0A=0AAccording to Italy's RAI state=
television, about 200 people have so far been rescued.=0A=0AThe heavily ov=
erloaded boat capsized some 104 kilometers south of Lampedusa, in waters wh=
ere Malta has search and rescue responsibilities. It was toppled as agitate=
d migrants tried to catch the attention of a military aircraft that was fly=
ing over the area.=0A=0AA patrol boat of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) wa=
s first on the scene. Two Italian navy ships also rushed to the spot after =
they received an alarm from Maltese authorities. Helicopters were also laun=
ching life jackets and rafts into the sea.=0A=0AA total of 150 survivors we=
re placed on a Maltese vessel and another 56, including 10 children, were o=
n an Italian navy ship, Italy's ANSA agency reported quoting sources from t=
he rescue teams.=0A=0AThe latest incident took place only one week after mo=
re than 300 people, mostly from Eritrea and Somalia, died when another boat=
caught fire and capsized near Lampedusa.=0A=0AOnly 155 of the estimated 51=
8 people on board the ship have so far been confirmed to have survived. Div=
ers were still searching for the missing bodies.=0A=0AA study found that ne=
arly 20,000 people have died in the hazardous Mediterranean crossing over t=
he past 25 years.=0A=0AItaly has repeatedly called on the EU to enhance eff=
orts to help deal with the migrant issue.=0A=0AThis year, more than 30,000 =
African migrants have landed on Italian shores. The capacity of Lampedusa's=
migrant center has been greatly exceeded. A number of people are forced to=
sleep outside as migrant boats continued to reach the island.=0A=0AVisitin=
g Lampedusa on Wednesday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso=
said the European Union (EU) would speed up efforts to help with the situa=
tion in the Mediterranean.=0A=0Ahttp://english.cri.cn/6966/2013/10/12/2702s=
791878.htm=0A=0A=0Ahttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/12/world/europe/another-m=
igrant-ship-capsizes-in-the-mediterranean.html?_r=3D0=0A=0A=0Ahttp://www.vo=
anews.com/content/reu-migrant-boat-sinks-off-italy-hundreds-in-sea-some-dea=
d/1768002.html=0A