Six migrants died and 40 are missing after a shipwreck off the Italian island of Lampedusa late on Tuesday, Italy's main news agency ANSA and other media reported on Wednesday.
Italian coast guard vessels have so far rescued 10 people and resumed the search for any other survivors early on Wednesday.
The coast guard did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for confirmation of the reports.
The survivors told rescuers many among a group of 56 migrants fell into the water due to bad weather after setting off from Tunisia in a dinghy, the agencies reported.
Reuters