60 migrants missing off Libya

Around 60 migrants are missing in waters off Libya, the International Organisation for Migration says after interviewing survivors who were picked up from their stricken craft.

An Italian corvette, the Fenice, picked up dozens of migrants aboard a sinking rubber dinghy on Tuesday after the vessel was spotted by a naval helicopter.

Fifty-four were brought to the Italian island of Lampedusa, but according to testimony from survivors, the craft had set off with between 117 and 120 people on board, all of them from sub-Saharan Africa, the IOM said.

Their boat left Libya on Monday and encountered problems shortly after its launch.

Over 30 of the passengers were women but there were no children, the agency said.

Rescue teams were searching on Wednesday for the missing, the Italian navy said.