意大利繼續營救落海船民

Italy continued its massive search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean Monday for the capsized boat off the coast of Libya that was carrying hundreds of migrants, while at the same time rescuing Syrian migrants from another vessel off the coast of Sicily.

一艘載有數百名移民的船隻在利比亞海岸外傾覆之後，意大利星期一在地中海繼續進行大規模搜救行動，同時還在救援西西里沿海另一艘船上的敘利亞難民。

Thirteen children were among the 98 Syrian migrants whose boat originated from Turkey on the perilous journey to Europe.

在98名敘利亞船民當中，有13名兒童，他們乘坐的船從土耳其出發，開始駛往歐洲的危險航程。

Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said migrants, seeking a better life in Europe, are taking a variety of routes to reach their destination.

聯合國難民事務高級專員的發言人薩米說，船民們採用不同的航線，試圖到歐洲尋求更好的生活。

As many as 700 people are feared dead from the capsized vessel off the coast of Libya.

從利比亞出發的那艘船傾覆後，多達700人恐已葬身大海。

By nightfall Sunday, authorities said 28 people had been rescued about 200 kilometers south of the Italian island of Lampedusa, and another 24 bodies were recovered. Rescue workers said the majority of the missing appeared trapped in the 20-meter vessel at the bottom of the sea.

星期天夜幕降臨時，當局表示，有28人在意大利蘭佩杜薩島以南大約200公里的海中獲救，他們還找到24具屍體。搜救人員說，大多數失蹤的船民似乎被這條20米長的船體困在海底。

Sami said a survivor of the capsized boat says there were children onboard.

薩米說，一名獲救船民說，這艘船上載有兒童。

The latest drownings would push the 2015 Mediterranean death toll past 1,500, compared to about 90 such refugee deaths in the same period a year ago.

最新這起船難，將使2015年葬身地中海的死亡人數升至1500以上。一年前的同期，死於船難的難民人數大約爲90。

Analysts say they expect human trafficking in the Mediterranean to worsen in the coming months as warming weather and the promise of European stability and prosperity lure desperate refugees from Africa and beyond.

分析人士預計，天氣日益溫暖，加上非洲和其他地區絕望的難民對歐洲穩定與繁榮的嚮往，地中海的人口販運活動在未來幾個月裏會更加猖獗。