400 feared dead after boat capsizes between Egypt and Italy

More than 400 migrants and refugees are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean while trying to cross by boat from Egypt to Italy, the Telegraph reported today.

They are believed to be largely Somalis, with smaller numbers of Eritreans and Ethiopians.

The tragedy, if confirmed, comes exactly a year after the worst migrant disaster in the Mediterranean for decades.

The migrants involved in Monday's tragedy were on board four boats, according to BBC Arabic, which broke the story.

One or more of the boats appears to have capsized at sea.

The Somali embassy in Cairo is trying to verify the reports, which have not yet been verified.

The vast majority of refugees and migrants who reach Italy by sea depart in old fishing boats and rubber dinghies from the coast of Libya, where chaos since the downfall of the Gadaffi regime has allowed people smuggling gangs to flourish.