UNHCR says at least 40 feared dead or missing in shipwreck off Libya

About 40 people are feared dead or missing after a boat carrying migrants bound for Europe was wrecked off the coast of Libya, with about 60 people rescued, the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday. UNHCR spokesman said most survivors were from Sudan, with others from Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. He called for urgent action by EU states, including the use of their own vessels, and the lifting of restrictions on NGOs who run rescue ships.

UNHCR SPOKESMAN, CHARLIE YAXLEY said Hundreds of thousands of migrants have attempted the crossing from North Africa to Europe in recent years, with more than a thousand dying at sea every year for the last five years, according to UNHCR.