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By Jomana Karadsheh and Kisa Mlela Santiago, CNN

updated 5:28 PM EDT, Mon May 12, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- A boat carrying illegal migrants sank off the coast of Tripoli on Sunday, killing at least 40 people, the spokesman for Libya's Interior Ministry told CNN.

Some 50 others were rescued, and an unspecified number remain missing, Rami Kaal said.

Kaal did not have information on the specific nationalities of the migrants on the vessel but said Libya is suffering greatly from the "huge number" of illegal migrants in his country.

According to the spokesman, most have come from sub-Saharan Africa, neighboring countries like Egypt and Tunisia and, more recently, more have come from Syria.

The migrants arrive to board boats headed to European shores, particularly Italy and Malta.

Kaal feels that the European countries have an obligation to help Libya deal with this "serious problem" but said, so far, they have done little.

According to Kaal, the flow of illegal migrants has contributed to the rise in crimes such as killings and armed robberies in Libya.

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At least 40 dead after Libya boat sinks