As many as 150 people are feared dead in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya involving hundreds of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe.

It was not immediately clear if one or two ships were involved in the accident, according to the BBC, but the United Nations's refugee agency said another 150 migrants were rescued by fishermen and other boats in the area and returned safely to shore.

ADVERTISEMENT

The failed crossing reportedly began at Libyan town of al Khoms, approximately 75 miles east of Tripoli.

Libya's coast is a major travel point for migrants seeking better fortunes in Europe. The perilous journey between the African coast and the European mainland results in deaths every year.

Nearly 16,000 refugees are thought to have made the journey across the Mediterranean in the first three months of 2019, according to the BBC.

In January, a similar incident occurred when an inflatable raft carrying as many as 120 migrants between Libya and Europe began deflating while at sea, killing all on board.

And 64 migrants were rescued in April by a German humanitarian organization after a ship carrying them was stranded at sea.