ROME — A patrol boat recovered the bodies of 10 people after a fishing vessel rescued 48 migrants from a craft that capsized near Malta, Italy’s coast guard said Sunday.
The coast guard said in a statement that it was still searching an area approximately 52 miles (84 kilometers) southeast of Malta where the migrant vessel was reported to have capsized.
The craft, with around 60 people aboard, had departed from Libya, officials said. The coast guard, part of Italy’s navy, dispatched a patrol boat to the area where the migrant craft capsized at the request of Maltese authorities.
The Libyan coast is one of the main departure points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa in small boats seeking a better life in Europe. Thousands have died during the perilous journey.
The European Union has an agreement with the Libyan government to reduce the number of migrants flowing through the country. It has given Libya 700 million euros ($824 million) since 2015, much of which has gone to reinforce 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 coast guard to intercept migrant boats.
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