Fifty-two survivors of a shipwreck off the coast of Libya told their Italian Navy rescuers Tuesday that at least 100 people had been on board their vessel went it began to sink. They had been rescued after they were seen by a Navy helicopter floating on a semi-sunk inflatable dinghy some 40 nautical miles off the coast of Libya earlier in the day. They were picked up by Navy ship Fenice (Phoenix), which had previously rescued 120 migrants in a separate operation. All the rescued - none of whom were sick or injured - were transferred to a Coast Guard ship headed for the island of Lampedusa, where they are expected later tonight.
The search for the missing is still ongoing, Navy sources said.
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