Afghan nationals among victims of migrant boat capsize in Mediterranean Sea

The embassy of Afghanistan in Rome has said that Afghan nationals were among the victims of the capsizing of an overcrowded fishing vessel carrying migrants in the Mediterranean Sea on

At least 78 people are reported to have died and up to 500 missing.

The embassy has not, however, said how many Afghan nationals may have been onboard.

The New York Times reports that the boat had been carrying mostly Pakistani, Syrian, Egyptian, and Afghan migrants.

The UN has called on the Greek authorities to investigate, amid claims that rescue attempts could have been made sooner.

In late February, at least 140 people, including 80 from Afghanistan, after a wooden vessel carrying an estimated 200 people wrecked off the southern coast of Italy.