Sea search for lost migrants

Published on 08/09/2012 00:00

Italian and Nato rescue crews searched the waters off a small Mediterranean island yesterday for survivors of an apparently sunken migrant boat after some of the 56 rescued passengers reported that dozens more were missing. One body was recovered.

The survivors, all believed to be Tunisian, included a pregnant woman, said a coastguard spokesman.

They were rescued from the sea as well as on the islet of Lampione west of Italy’s larger Lampedusa island, the frequent destination of smugglers’ boats leaving north Africa.

Vessels and aircraft were searching the area after passengers reported that more than 100 people had been on board.