UPDATED: Tragedy off the coast of Lampedusa after boat full of migrants capsizes
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Update: The Italian Coast Guard and Italian finance police rescued 22 survivors and recovered the bodies of 13 people, all women, after a boat carrying about 50 migrants overturned Sunday night a few miles off the coast of Lampedusa.
According to an initial reconstruction of event, when rescue patrol boats arrived to rescue the migrants from the boat, all the migrants moved to one end of the boat, causing it to overturn.
Survivors said eight children are among those missing.
Agrigento prosecutor Salvatore Vella arrived on the island to lead a probe.
He said none of the migrants had a life jacket. (ANSA)
Earlier: There are fears that several migrants died after a boat full of persons capsized off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa during the night between Sunday and Monday morning.
Currently Italian security forces are conducting a huge search and rescue operation and so far, have recovered the corpses of nine persons whilst 22 other persons were rescued among them women and children.
Survivors said eight children are among those missing.
Initial reports indicate that there were around 50 persons onboard the boat. It seems that the boat capsized after there was a rush to on side of the vessel during stormy weather as rescue patrol boats arrived to rescue the migrants.
A woman who disembarked from the Coast Guard patrol boat in the port of Lampedusa, Agrigento rgion, Sicily, Italy, early 07 October 2019.. EPA-EFE/PASQUALE CLAUDIO MONTANA LAMPO
The boat overturned shortly after midnight. Conditions in the Mediterranean were said to be rough and the vessel capsized after many of its passengers rushed to one side.
