At least 60 migrants including newborn dead after boat falls apart off coast of Italy

At least 60 migrants have been killed after the vessel carrying them sunk off the coast of Italy.

The Italian coast guard spotted about 30 bodies after a migrant boat broke apart in rough seas off the southern coast of Italy’s mainland, state radio reported this morning.

Quoting unidentified port authorities near the coastal town of Crotone, in Calabria, the toe of the Italian peninsula, RAI (Italian public broadcasting company) said the ship was carrying around 250 migrants when it ran into trouble at dawn Sunday.

Local media reported that the search for survivors continues, but around 80 have been recovered so far, according to the coastguard. Migrants from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan were packed on the flimsy boat, which couldn’t withstand the rough seas.