A sailboat believed to be carrying foreign tourists – including some from the UK – has capsized and sunk off the coast of Sicily in bad weather.
Fifteen people were rescued from the 49-metre sailboat – but another seven were unaccounted for, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for the Italian fire rescue service.
He said a helicopter and rescue boats from the coast guard and fire rescue service were at the scene searching for the missing, and divers had located the wreck at a depth of 50 metres.
The boat capsized at around 5am on Monday morning off the port of Porticello.
Local media said a fierce storm, including water spouts, battered the area overnight.
The daily Il Giornale de Sicilia reported the sailboat was flying a British flag and had mostly British passengers on board, but also people form New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.
The Ansa news agency said the boat, which it said was named Bayesian, had been moored in the port at Porticello and had set sail on Sunday evening.