MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Survivors aboard a deflating rubber dinghy rescued in the central Mediterranean Sea have reported that 50 people who departed Libya with them a week ago perished during the journey, the humanitarian rescue group SOS Mediterranee said today.

The European charity’s ship Ocean Viking spotted the dinghy with 25 people on board on Wednesday. Two were unconscious, and died.

The other 23 were in serious condition, exhausted, dehydrated and with burns from fuel on board the boat.