Hundreds of refugees are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea after their boats capsized on the way to Europe, a Somali ambassador has said.

More than 400 refugees are thought to have drowned, the Somali ambassador to Egypt told BBC Arabic.

Reports say the refugees were fleeing to Italy from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea in four boats which were ill-equipped for the journey.

Earlier on Monday morning, the Italian coastguard said108 refugees had been saved and six bodies recovered from a semi-submerged rubber dinghy on Sunday.

Separately, 33 refugees were rescued overnight off eastern coast of Sicily.

The reported tragedy comes almost a year after a fishing boat crowded with refugees sank in the Mediterranean, with around 800 people trapped inside.

Italy vowed to raise the shipwreck from the sea floor, to recover the corpses out of respect for the dead.

Source: The Independent