Migrant boat capsizes in Italy, at least 58 dead

A boat carrying migrants has sunk in the sea off southern Italy. At least 58 people including children were killed.

The accident happened near the coastal town of Crotone in the Calabria region. The boat is said to have broken up after hitting a rock with hundreds of passengers ashore.

After the accident, 58 dead bodies were recovered from the beach. The death toll may rise.

Italy’s national firefighter department said in a statement on Telegram that 40 people were rescued alive.

It was not ascertained where the boat had sailed from. However an Italian news agency said the passengers included citizens of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The news agency also reported that the weather was hostile at the time of the accident, and the sea was rough. The boat hit the rock and sank.

It should be noted that a large number of people flee Africa to Italy every year to escape poverty and conflict.

Since 2014, 20,333 people have died or gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea.