Chadians staged a national mourning Sunday in memory of the African victims who died in a tragedy off the Italian island of Lampedusa in an attempt to enter Europe.

Flags flew half mast across the country where all festive activities were prohibited, in accordance with an order issued by Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno.

In churches and mosques in the capital N'Djamena, religious leaders dedicated their summons to pray for the African immigrants who got drowned trying to move to Europe.

In early October, more than 360 illegal African immigrants, mostly from Eritrea, died or were reported missing after their boat capsized in the Italian waters.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), close to 20,000 immigrants have died in the sea in their attempts to reach Europe in the last 20 years.

In another tragedy, more than 90 Nigerien immigrants, mostly women and children, died of thirst in the desert in a failed plan to go to Algeria.

In a message sent to his Nigerien counterpart Mahamadou Issoufou, the Chadian president expressed his deep condolences over the tragedy.