The ones that were left behind: Libya says it is swamped by immigrants trying to get to Europe and will have to HELP them unless it gets more aid as hundreds more are feared drowned off Italy



Accident happened around 100 miles south of Italian island of Lampedusa

At least 210 of the 400 passengers have been rescued, with 100 still missing



15 bodies have already been pulled from the sea 50 miles north of Libya

Accident comes after Libya threatened to help migrants reach Europe

Says it is struggling to cope with the number of sub-Saharans arriving

Warned EU it will help migrants make crossing unless it gets more aid



The Libyan government today said it was struggling to cope with the number of sub-Saharan Africans arriving in the country, and threatened to help them enter into Europe themselves if EU countries do not 'assume their responsibilities' and offer the country more aid.

The announcement comes as hundreds of migrants are feared dead after a boat carrying a reported 400 people sank off the coast off the coast of southern Italy.

The accident happened around 100 miles south of the Italian island of Lampedusa where more than 300 Eritreans perished last autumn, according to reports in the Italian media. The boat was around 50 miles north of Libya.

Scroll down for video

African migrants at a detention center, in Zawiya, Libya. The Libyan government said it was struggling to cope with the number of sub-Saharan Africans arriving in the country

Men and boys, part of some 340 illegal migrants who were rescued by the Libyan navy off the coast of the western town of Sabratha when their boat began to take on water An African migrant wowan breaks down at a detention center in Zawiya A member of the Libyan security forces stands guard near some 340 illegal migrants who were rescued by the Libyan navy

Struggling to cope: Today's tragedy follows a threat from the Libyan government to 'facilitate' illegal immigrants seeking to reach Europe from the country's shores

Warning: The tragedy comes after Libya's interim interior minister Salah Mazek said the North African country could not cope under the strain of thousands of sub-Saharan Africans passing through it

At least 210 of the passengers have been rescued by the Italian coast guard following the sinking, but 15 bodies have already been pulled from the sea and more than 100 are still missing.

A statement from the Italian Navy said 'A boat filled with migrants sank a few hours ago off the Libyan coast. '

'A helicopter has been dispatched and two warships are headed to the area at maximum speed to lend assistance.'

The coast guard was alerted to the incident by a boat involved in offshore oil extraction in the area, Italian media said.



The tragedy follows a threat from the Libyan government to 'facilitate' illegal immigrants seeking to reach Europe from the country’s shores.

Past: Today's accident happened around 100 miles south of the Italian island of Lampedusa where more than 300 Eritreans perished last autumn (pictured), according to reports in the Italian media

A group of illegal immigrants are detained after Libyan coast guards caught them attempting to flee the coast to Europe, in Zawia, west of Tripoli Women and children, part of some 340 illegal migrants who were rescued by the Libyan navy off the coast of the western town of Sabratha

Libya has long been a springboard for Africans seeking a better life in Europe, and the number of illegal departures from its shores is rising

Interior Minister Salah Mazek said that the North African country could not cope under the strain of thousands of sub Saharan Africans transiting through Libya insisting it was ‘Europe’s turn to pay the price.’

Libya, still mired in chaos after the failure of the Arab Spring, is the gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking a new life in Europe.



Around 800,000 would-be migrants are poised on Libya’s coastline to make the crossing to Europe, ferried by gangs of human traffickers, the Italian government has warned.

In the first four months of this year 25,000 migrants have landed in Italy, the closest European landfall to Libya, around ten fold last year's figure.

Most plan to make their way to northern Europe. One in five eventually settle in the UK, British investigators say.



Tribute: Last year, on his first official trip outside Rome, Pope Francis laid a wreath in the sea near Lampedusa in memory of those immigrants who have lost their lives in the crossing

Mr Mazek said that Libya could not cope with the 'flood' and would move the migrants on.



He told a news conference at the weekend: 'I’m warning the world and Europe in particular - if they do not assume their responsibilities, Libya could facilitate the transit of this flood of immigrants towards Europe.'

He said Libya was 'suffering' because of problems created by the mainly sub-Saharan Africans were spreading disease, crime and drugs in the North African nation.

'Libya has paid the price. Now it’s Europe’s turn to pay,' Mazek added.

At least 38 migrants perished in a shipwreck off the coast of Tripoli at the weekend, with dozens more feared dead. The hull gave way 4km off shore because of the crush of people on board the boat which was carrying migrants from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gambia, Mali and Senegal.

Sea patrols have been stepped up following the tragic drowning of more than 300 migrants off the Italian island of Lampedusa last year.