Boat sinks between Tunisia and Sicily, dozens of migrants missing

At least 8 migrants are feared to have drowned after their boat collided with a Tunisian vessel in the Mediterranean. 

The collision happened in the middle of the night, southwest of the Italian island of Lampedusa.

The migrant boat is believed to have left the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax and to have been heading towards Sicily, The Telegraph reported.

The boat was reportedly carrying around 70 migrants. Around 40 people have been rescued from the sea, meaning that 20 or more are still unaccounted for.

Maltese and Italian coast guard vessels have been dispatched to the area. It is not yet known how the collision happened.