ROME — An estimated 300 migrants were reported dead on Wednesday as survivors recounted harrowing tales of small boats being overwhelmed by waves, throwing scores of victims into deadly cold Mediterranean waters, humanitarian organizations said.
The migrants belonged to the same group as the 29 sub-Saharan Africans who died of hypothermia despite a perilous rescue mission by the Italian Coast Guard this week more than 100 miles south of the island of Lampedusa.
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Humanitarian agencies and local authorities expressed their concern this week, saying that crossings would certainly increase as the weather became better closer to spring.
“Whoever thought that closing Mare Nostrum might have a deterring effect was clearly wrong,” Ms. Sami told the Italian news channel Sky TG24.
