Libyan coastguard vessels picked up about 300 migrants from three boats off the coast of the North African country, but one of the boats sank, and the coastguard only found 16 survivors.
Several of the survivors said there were originally about 70 people on board. The two other migrant boats were found off Zawiya, west of Tripoli. Libya is the most common departure point for migrants trying to reach Europe from Africa by sea. More than 600,000 have crossed the central Mediterranean in the past four years, generally travelling in flimsy inflatable craft provided by smugglers that often break down or puncture.
