Italian rescuers have recovered 10 bodies after a migrant boat capsized in waters off Malta, a coastguard statement said on Sunday.
The vessel, which had departed from Libya carrying about 60 people, overturned about 45 nautical miles east-south-east of Malta, the Italian coastguard said.
“According to the latest information, a fishing boat in the area rescued around 48 people alive, out of about 60 reported to have set off,” the coastguard added.
“The Italian coastguard immediately dispatched a patrol boat to the area, which has so far recovered 10 bodies. Search operations in the area are continuing, coordinated by the Maltese authorities.”
The coastguard said Malta had requested help in the ongoing search and rescue operation, “following the capsizing of a vessel reported with migrants aboard and people in the water”.
At least 827 people have died so far this year attempting the deadly central Mediterranean crossing, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The central Mediterranean route is the sea crossing from North Africa to Italy and Malta. More than 1,330 people died on this route last year, IOM said.
The European Union has an agreement with the Libyan government to reduce the number of migrants flowing through the country. It has given Libya €700m (£605m) since 2015, much of which has been spent on reinforcing border management.
Italy’s migration policies in the central Mediterranean have long relied on cooperation with Libya to curb departures, including support, training and equipment for the Libyan coastguard to intercept migrant boats.