意大利继续营救落海船民

Italy continued its massive search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean Monday for the capsized boat off the coast of Libya that was carrying hundreds of migrants, while at the same time rescuing Syrian migrants from another vessel off the coast of Sicily.

Thirteen children were among the 98 Syrian migrants whose boat originated from Turkey on the perilous journey to Europe.

Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said migrants, seeking a better life in Europe, are taking a variety of routes to reach their destination.

As many as 700 people are feared dead from the capsized vessel off the coast of Libya.

By nightfall Sunday, authorities said 28 people had been rescued about 200 kilometers south of the Italian island of Lampedusa, and another 24 bodies were recovered. Rescue workers said the majority of the missing appeared trapped in the 20-meter vessel at the bottom of the sea.

Sami said a survivor of the capsized boat says there were children onboard.

The latest drownings would push the 2015 Mediterranean death toll past 1,500, compared to about 90 such refugee deaths in the same period a year ago.

Analysts say they expect human trafficking in the Mediterranean to worsen in the coming months as warming weather and the promise of European stability and prosperity lure desperate refugees from Africa and beyond.

在98名叙利亚船民当中，有13名儿童，他们乘坐的船从土耳其出发，开始驶往欧洲的危险航程。

联合国难民事务高级专员的发言人萨米说，船民们采用不同的航线，试图到欧洲寻求更好的生活。

从利比亚出发的那艘船倾覆后，多达700人恐已葬身大海。

星期天夜幕降临时，当局表示，有28人在意大利兰佩杜萨岛以南大约200公里的海中获救，他们还找到24具尸体。搜救人员说，大多数失踪的船民似乎被这条20米长的船体困在海底。

萨米说，一名获救船民说，这艘船上载有儿童。

最新这起船难，将使2015年葬身地中海的死亡人数升至1500以上。一年前的同期，死于船难的难民人数大约为90。

分析人士预计，天气日益温暖，加上非洲和其他地区绝望的难民对欧洲稳定与繁荣的向往，地中海的人口贩运活动在未来几个月里会更加猖獗。