The vessel, which sank approximately 200km east of Calabria after catching fire and capsizing, was believed to be sailing from Türkiye.

"Today, 14 bodies were recovered from the coastguard vessels Dattilo and Corsi. A total of 34 bodies have been retrieved since search operations began,” the Italian coastguard announced.

The incident occurred overnight Sunday-Monday, with only 11 survivors reported and more than 60 individuals still missing.

Air and sea searches are ongoing as authorities continue to look for the missing migrants. On Thursday, the coastguard had already reported finding 12 bodies, including women and children.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) earlier reported that survivors indicated 66 people were missing, including at least 26 children. Afghan families were among those unaccounted for, according to MSF.

The Mediterranean Sea remains a perilous route for migrants, with more than 3,150 individuals dying or disappearing last year, as per the UN's International Organization for Migration. Over 1,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean so far this year.

The central Mediterranean route, between North Africa and Italy and Malta, is particularly deadly, accounting for 80% of the deaths and disappearances. Many migrants depart from Tunisia or Libya, aiming for Italy as their first port of call.

Despite the dangers, nearly 24,500 migrants have landed in Italy so far this year, a significant decrease from the more than 58,600 arrivals during the same period in 2023, according to the Italian interior ministry. (ILKHA)