Lampedusa death toll rises to 50

A boat packed with African migrants capsized off the coast of the Italian Island of Lampedusa. According to the Italian Coast Guard Service, some 50 migrants have died, including at least 10 children. A Maltese patrol aircraft was the first to catch sight of the boat in distress, with 250 refugees on board, about 110 kilometers from Lampedusa Island at 16:00 local time on Friday (18:00 Moscow time), Voice of Russia reported. According to an official report by the Maltese authorities, when the migrants saw the plane, they started to shout for help and rushed to one side of the boat, causing the vessel to capsize. More than 200 people found themselves in the water. The aircraft dropped a life raft and the rescue operation began when a Maltese patrol boat reached the scene an hour later. An Italian naval ship and Coast Guard helicopters arrived shortly afterwards. The death toll may grow further as the rescue operation is continuing at the site of tragedy.