31 African migrants reported missing during crossing to Italy

ROME, July 28 (Xinhua) - A total of 31 migrants were reporting missing during their crossing from Libya to Italy, local media said on Sunday.

According to a group of survivors who reached the Italian isle of Lampedusa, 31 migrants including nine women were thrown into the sea as their boat capsized on Friday three days after leaving the Libyan coast.

The 22 survivors, reportedly from Nigeria, Gambia, Benin and Senegal, were rescued by the Italian coast guards.

Local authorities received an alarm and sent two merchant ships transiting in the area to help transfer the migrants from their wrecked boat to Lampedusa, which is located between Sicily Island and North Africa.

The search for the missing has yielded no result, while preparations have been made to accommodate the survivors in the island's emergency centers.

A total of 450 African migrants have landed in Lampedusa over the past two days, according to local reports.

The tiny island has been rocked by a new immigration wave with the summer and good weather conditions.

Thousands were reportedly lost at sea while making the crossing since North Africa and the Middle East fell into political uncertainties.

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