90 African migrants rescued and more than 40 drowned when a rickety boat sank off Libya's coast

According to UN and aid agencies, more than 120 migrants, believed to have been from Sub-Saharan Africa, including Senegal, Mali and Benin were on the boat when it started taking in water on Wednesday. Over 40 people - including women and children drowned and nearly 90 were rescued.

The survivors were picked up hours later by a passing merchant ship and brought to Sicily on an German military vessel operating in the area.