Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)_Monitoring, Over 30 people have lost their lives and more than 40 have survived a migrant boat shipwreck in southern Italy, said media.
The shipwreck took place near Steccato di Cutro, a seaside resort on the eastern coast of Calabria, the region that forms the tip of Italy’s boot.
The death toll “has surpassed 30,” Danilo Maida, spokesman for the firefighters’ service in Calabria told Reuters, adding that the count was provisional.
Firefighters and other emergency services were looking for more survivors at sea using jet skis, but conditions were harsh, making the search difficult, he added.
Earlier, Italian news agency ANSA reported that 27 bodies were found on the beach, and that more bodies were spotted at sea.
On their official Telegram channel, firefighters said they had recovered 28 bodies, and indicated that the migrants’ ship had ran aground by the coast.
The vessel, bringing migrants from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, crashed against rocks during rough sea weather, reports says.
The Italian coast guard, reported to be on the scene with firefighters and other police forces, was not immediately reachable for comment.
Italy is one of the main landing points for migrants trying to enter Europe by sea. The so-called central Mediterranean route is known as one of the world’s most dangerous.