Survivors report 240 migrants dead in two boat accidents

Survivors said today as many as 240 people died while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Europe in rubber dinghies. Most of the passengers were from sub-Saharan Africa. Thirty-one survivors have arrived on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. The UN refugee agency reports an increase in migrant deaths on the Mediterranean this year as smugglers have begun relying more on inexpensive rubber boats that are prone to deflating or capsizing. Last year, 3,777 people died trying to make the crossing. This year has already seen 4,220 migrants dead or missing at sea.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.