Forty-one dead in migrant shipwreck off Italy's Lampedusa island

At least 41 people are dead after a boat accident involving migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, the Italian news agency ANSA reported on Wednesday, citing survivor accounts.

The boat had set sail from the Tunisian coastal town of Sfax in the direction of Italy and capsized when a large wave struck off the Italian island of Lampedusa.

A total of 45 people, including three children, were said to have been on the metal boat.

Three men and one woman were rescued by a Maltese cargo ship and brought to Lampedusa by the Italian coastguard.

The island is located just under 190 kilometres from Sfax.

The survivors said 41 people died. However, no bodies have yet been found, ANSA reported. One explanation for this is that survivors were rescued far from the scene of the accident.

Those rescued also reported that only 15 life jackets were available on board.

According to the Interior Ministry in Rome, more than 93,600 migrants have reached Italian shores so far this year, more than twice as many people as in the same period last year.

Most of those who are not intercepted off the North African coast are picked up by Italian patrol ships or charity rescue ships and brought to reception centres.