Italy To Step Up Sea Patrol As Hundreds Of African Immigrants Die On Sea

Italy is to step up naval and air patrols in the southern Mediterranean to try to prevent repeats of the shipwrecks which have drowned hundreds of African migrants in two separate disasters in little more than a week.

Prime Minister Enrico Letta said late on Saturday an "air and naval package" would be put in place south of Sicily, where tens of thousands of migrants in flimsy, overcrowded boats have made the crossing from Africa so far this year.

At least 34 people drowned on Friday when their boat overturned, according to the Italian navy, but with many unaccounted for, the true total could be as high as 200 or more.

In a separate shipwreck on October 3, more than 350 died.

Survivors of Friday's wreck reported their vessel had been fired on as they left Libya, said Barbara Molinario, spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

"Survivors told us that shots were fired at the boat as it took to the sea," she said. "Three people were wounded and the boat was damaged in such a way that it took on water."

She said the survivors said the shots were fired by "Libyans" but it was not possible to identify them more closely.

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan denied Libyan forces were involved but promised to investigate.

The incident underlined the chaotic conditions in Libya, the departure point for many migrant boats. The central government is struggling to impose its authority on armed militia groups.

Italian officials have been increasingly worried by the uncontrolled surge in arrivals from a region also destabilized by civil war in Syria and unrest in Egypt and elsewhere.

"We intend to triple our presence, in terms of both men and means in the southern Mediterranean, for a military-humanitarian mission that has been made necessary in part by the fact that Libya is currently a 'non-state'," Defense Minister Mario Mauro told the Catholic daily Avvenire.

"We need strong action to stop these shipwrecks out to sea."

He said operational and financial details of the deployment were being worked out and could involve more patrol vessels or more powerful ships with greater surveillance capacity. Italian media reported that unmanned drone aircraft based in Sicily could also be used to identify boats in trouble.

In addition to coastguard and frontier police vessels, the Italian navy currently has three vessels supported by four helicopters patrolling the area, and two surveillance aircraft with night vision capabilities in support.