One person is feared dead and six more are missing after a British-flagged yacht sank in storms off the coast of Sicily.
Four Britons are feared to be among the missing while a further 15 people have been rescued after the sailboat with 22 people on board sank in the early hours of Monday near the Sicilian capital Palermo, Italian media outlets have reported.
An Irish national was also on board the sailboat when it sunk, Italian media reported on Monday morning.
Italy’s coastguard and firefighters rescued 15 people, including a child, after the boat, flying a British flag, sank when a whirlwind and rough seas hit the area at sunrise.
The boat, which is believed to be named Bayasian, was carrying two Anglo-French citizens, an Irish national, a New Zealander and a Sri Lankan, news agency Adnkronos has reported, while the rest were British.
The 15 people rescued are all in stable condition, Adnkronos has said.
Divers from the fire department are continuing searches around the vessel, situated around half a mile off the coast.