Italian media reported that 40 migrants died when a boat carrying them sank off the Italian city of Crotone in the Calabria region, while relief teams managed to rescue about forty people.
Forty immigrants, including a few-month-old baby, died in a boat sinking at dawn Sunday off the Italian city of Crotone in the Calabria region, according to Italian media.
On the other hand, the Italian relief teams confirmed in a tweet that 28 bodies had been recovered, while sea currents swept three other bodies away from the boat, which was carrying, according to Italian media, 150 to 250 people.
The relief teams indicated that they were able to rescue about forty people, while the search operations are still continuing.
The Italian agency "Aki" reported that the boat was carrying immigrants from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that it was destroyed after hitting rocks in high waves.
The disaster occurred days after the Italian parliament approved new rules on migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean, prompted by the far-right-dominated government.
The new law aims to reduce the number of people being taken to ports by requiring NGOs to have one rescue operation during a sea voyage.
Critics of the law say it increases the risk of death in the Mediterranean, which is considered the world's most dangerous crossing for migrants.
For years, Italy has been one of the main gateways for migration by sea from Africa to Europe.
40 migrants were killed when a boat sank off the coast of Italy
Italian media reported that 40 migrants died when a boat carrying them sank off the Italian city of Crotone in the Calabria region, while relief teams managed to rescue about forty people.
Forty immigrants, including a few-month-old baby, died in a boat sinking at dawn Sunday off the Italian city of Crotone in the Calabria region, according to Italian media.
On the other hand, the Italian relief teams confirmed in a tweet that 28 bodies had been recovered, while sea currents swept three other bodies away from the boat, which was carrying, according to Italian media, 150 to 250 people.
The relief teams indicated that they were able to rescue about forty people, while the search operations are still continuing.
The Italian agency "Aki" reported that the boat was carrying immigrants from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that it was destroyed after hitting rocks in high waves.
The disaster occurred days after the Italian parliament approved new rules on migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean, prompted by the far-right-dominated government.
The new law aims to reduce the number of people being taken to ports by requiring NGOs to have one rescue operation during a sea voyage.
Critics of the law say it increases the risk of death in the Mediterranean, which is considered the world's most dangerous crossing for migrants.
For years, Italy has been one of the main gateways for migration by sea from Africa to Europe.