About 30 people were reported missing early Sunday after two boats capsized overnight on the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The Italian Coast Guard rescued 57 migrants, 47 men and 10 women, from the water and recovered two bodies, a woman and an 18-month-old child, both from Ivoria, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Their bodies have been taken to the morgue on the island of Cala Pisana. International Organization for Migration (IOM) cultural mediators spoke to survivors who reported that two ships had sunk.
The first reportedly had 48 people on board, 45 of whom were rescued with three missing, while the second was carrying 42 people from sub-Saharan Africa. Both ships are said to have departed from Sfax in Tunisia. The waters in the Strait of Sicily have been extremely rough, with strong winds whipping up huge waves.
A group of around 20 migrants were left stranded on Lampedusa's Ponente cliffs early Sunday after the boat they were on capsized overnight between Friday and Saturday.
Sea conditions made it impossible for Coast Guard boats to reach them, and rescuers will try to get there by land, the sources said.
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At least 26 migrants dead after two boats sink off Italy
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Two children die in migrant boat sinking in Mediterranean
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At least 10 dead and dozens missing from the sinking of two ships in the Mediterranean
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Nine dead after boat capsize in Lampedusa
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41 migrants lost their lives after a ship sank near the Italian coast