A new tragedy has occurred off the coast of Lampedusa. Forty-one migrants have died in a shipwreck off the Italian island of Lampedusa, survivors told local media.

Four survivors, including three men and one woman, were rescued by a Maltese cargo ship and taken to Lampedusa by the Italian Coast Guard. The survivors said the boat, which was about 7m long, left Sfax on Thursday last week, but sank within hours after being hit by a big wave.

Three children were among the dead. No bodies have been recovered.

The Mediterranean crossing is one of the most dangerous migrant routes in the world. Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveals that nearly 28,000 individuals have disappeared while attempting to make the perilous sea journey since 2014.