ROME (AP) – Prosecutors in Sicily, relying on testimony from migrants who survived the sinking of an overcrowded fishing boat and other evidence, say it’s plausible that about 800 people died in the Mediterranean Sea tragedy.
Prosecutors also say it’s not possible to determine exactly how many died.
The shipwreck off the coast of Libya last month galvanized the European Union to devise a strategy to try to stop human trafficking, which often brings thousands of migrants daily to southern Italy after they are rescued at sea.
The Catania prosecutor’s office said Friday “very precise and detailed” survivor accounts and an Italian navy video of the sunken ship indicate “many hundreds, perhaps 800” were aboard. It said to “protect the dignity of the deceased” the video of the undersea wreck’s inspection remains sealed.