Migrant-boat incident during rescue operation leaves 5 dead off Malta

Five people have died and eight others were injured after a migrant boat capsized during a rescue operation by armed forces off Malta in the Mediterranean, Al Jazeera reported.

The incident occurred south of Malta when an eight-meter boat carrying migrants overturned suddenly, the news agency added.

Eight individuals are receiving medical care, while five, including four men and one woman, were found dead, with twenty-one other migrants rescued and taken to a center.

Search operations are ongoing to ensure no other passengers are in the sea.

The Central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Europe via Italy or Malta is one of the most dangerous migration paths, with nearly 2,500 deaths or disappearances reported last year.