At least 37 migrants missing after shipwreck in Mediterranean Sea

Boat carrying 46 people capsized in turbulent waves

Lampedusa, a small Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea, is a major entry point for migrants. AFP

At least 37 migrants are missing after a boat capsized off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, according to UN reports.

The boat, carrying 46 migrants primarily from Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, overturned amid high winds and turbulent waves on Thursday.

UN refugee agency representative to Italy Chiara Cardoletti confirmed that among the missing are two children, one of them a newborn.

The survivors, all adult men, were rescued and taken to either Lampedusa or Tunisia.

Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration, indicated the boat had originated from Sfax, Tunisia.

Mr Di Giacomo said there has been a noticeable increase in migrants from sub-Saharan Africa arriving via the Tunisian route since November.

He attributes this trend to migrants seeking to escape discrimination in Tunisia.

The survivors reported to the IOM that their boat had capsized in harsh winds, leading to the current belief that 37 people are missing and feared dead.

The UNHCR earlier stated that about 40 people were missing, highlighting some inconsistency in the reported figures.

Regardless of the exact number, the incident underlines a significant surge in migration from Tunisia across the Mediterranean, particularly after Tunisia's crackdown on illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and reports of racist attacks amid an economic downturn.

The island of Lampedusa to the south of Italy is a principal entry point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

More than 46,000 people arrived there last year, for a total of 105,000 in Italy as per UNHCR data.

The latest incident occurred alongside another last Thursday when three boats sank off Tunisia, with at least 12 migrants missing and three confirmed dead.