The bodies of 10 people have been recovered from the sea after a fishing vessel rescued 48 migrants from a small boat that capsized near Malta. Italy’s coast guard said in a statement on Sunday (June 7) it was still searching an area about 52 miles (84km) southeast of Malta where the migrant vessel was reported to have overturned.

Authorities said the craft had about 60 people aboard and that they had departed from Libya. The Italian coast guard dispatched a patrol boat to the area where the boat capsized at the request of authorities in Malta.

Libya’s coast is one of the main departure points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa in small boats seeking a better life in Europe.

Thousands have died during the perilous journey.

The European Union has an agreement with the Libyan government to reduce the number of migrants flowing through the country.

It has given Libya £605million (700 million euros) since 2015, much of which has gone to reinforce border management.

Italy’s migration policies in the central Mediterranean have long relied on cooperation with Libya to curb departures.

This includes support, training and equipment for the Libyan coast guard to intercept migrant boats.

At least 827 people have died so far this year attempting the crossing, according to the United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

More than 1,330 people died on the route from North Africa to Italy and Malta last year, the IOM said.

22 migrants died in March attempting to reach Greece from Libya from the port of Tobruk.

The Greek coastguard said at the time that bad weather and a lack of provisions contributed to the deaths.

Two men aged 19 and 22 from South Sudan were arrested on suspicion of people trafficking and placed under investigation.