Italy’s coastguard says 19 die after migrant boat found off Lampedusa

Nineteen migrants have died, and several others are in critical condition after a small boat was found in distress in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy's island of Lampedusa, according to Italian news agency ANSA on Wednesday.

Italy's coastguard, cited by the news agency, said emergency services discovered 19 bodies on board the vessel along with five survivors in critical condition. A further 58 survivors were rescued.

The rescue operation began in the early hours of the morning around 85 nautical miles off Lampedusa.

A coastguard patrol vessel responded to the incident and transported the critically ill survivors to the island for urgent medical treatment.

The circumstances leading to the deaths remain unclear.

However, ANSA reported the migrants had departed from the Libyan coast several days earlier in an attempt to reach Europe.

Lampedusa has long been a key arrival point for migrants attempting to cross from Africa to Europe via the Mediterranean.

Fatal incidents are frequently reported along the route, often involving people drowning after boats capsize or become stranded.