40 die as boat sinks off Italy

Victims found in vessel's hold had apparently suffocated, paper says

At least 40 migrants died in the hold of a boat off Italy as the European Union struggled to cope with the thousands making the dangerous Mediterranean crossing in what a migration specialist called "the worst refugee crisis since World War II".

An Italian navy helicopter had spotted the boat, which was "overcrowded and starting to sink", about 21 nautical miles off the Libyan coast, south of the Italian island of Lampedusa, a reporter with Italy RaiNews TV at rescue operation headquarters said.