Over 300 people are reportedly dead in boat capsizes in the Mediterranean Sea this week as they were trying to migrate from Libya to Europe, reports BBC quoting sources of UNHCR.

Nine people survived the latest boat capsize in the sea on Monday while initial reports had put the death toll at 29.

However, now it is feared that the death toll might cross 300 after the survivors, taken to Italian island of Lampedusa, gave accounts of the sinking of two inflated boats.

The survivors told about two more rubber dinghies that, as they claimed, disappeared at the sea.

All the four boats were carrying hundreds of migrants, apparently from West Africa.

BBC report on 11 February quoted UNHCR regional director Vincent Cochetel as terming the incident a "tragedy on an enormous scale".

Vincent Cochetel said the incident was a stark reminder that search-and-rescue measure at the sea should be reconsidered as Italy in November last year suspended an operation, known as Mare Nostrum, aimed to deal with seaborne accidents.

Earlier Carlotta Sami, the UNHCR’s spokeswoman in Italy, had said on Twitter that 203 people were drowned.

According to BBC, the International Organization for Migration confirmed that the two boats had set off from Libyan coast Saturday.

Each boat was reported to be carrying more than 100 passengers at the time of the accident.

The UN refugee agency spokeswoman termed the incident as a horrible tragedy which is the latest of this kind as the number of migrants dying in the Mediterranean while en route Europe has increased lately after Italy suspended patrol on the sea.

The incident has reignited criticism of Italy's decision to end Mare Nostrum, due to concerns over costs.