(VOVworld) - More than 700 migrants trying to reach Europe are feared to have died in three shipwrecks south of Italy over the past few days, the UN refugee agency said.

Migrants arrived in Zawiyah port, Libya after being rescued at sea on May 24th (Photo: Xinhua/ VNA)

Carlotta Sami, spokeswoman for the UNHCR, said Sunday that an estimated 700 people died in 3 shipwrecks last week. About 500 migrants went missing when a smuggling boat capsized Thursday morning after leaving the western Libyan port of Sabratha a day earlier. The boat carried about 670 people, 25 of whom managed to reach another boat and survive. 79 others were rescued by international patrol boats and 15 bodies have been recovered.