一艘难民船在地中海沉没 多达500人死亡

AS IT IS 2016-04-22 Up to 500 Refugees Feared Dead After Boat Sinks 一艘难民船在地中海沉没 多达500人死亡

The United Nations says that 500 people may have died when their boat sank in the Mediterranean¹ Sea.

On Monday, witnesses and survivors² told VOA that a smuggler³’s boat turned over with about 500 people on board. It happened on April 8.

The Somali government says 200 of its nationals drowned.

The United Nations’ refugee agency says the boat was bound for Europe from Libya. It carried people from Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Syria and Egypt.

The accident happened somewhere between Libya and Italy as smugglers tried to move some people from a smaller boat to a larger, more crowded boat.

The survivors swam to the original boat and were rescued after drifting in the sea for three days. A large ship took them to Greece.

The United Nations says almost 180,000 refugees and migrants have reached Europe this year. Almost 800 have died or gone missing.

Words in This Story

drifting – v. to move slowly on water, wind, etc.

smuggler – n. a person who moves (someone or something) from one country into another illegally and secretly

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

3 smuggler   

n.走私者

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight, awaiting extradition to Britain. 这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• The smuggler was finally obliged to inform against his boss. 那个走私犯最后不得不告发他的首领。