One dead and six people went missing after a 49-meter sailboat with 22 people on board sank off the coast of Sicily. According to Euro News, the boat sank due to bad weather at around 5 am (local time) in the stretch of sea across from Porticello in the province of Palermo. After responding to the crisis situation, the authorities managed to rescue 15 people while seven people are still missing.
One body was found near the wreck, but six others were unaccounted for, said Luca Cari, a spokesperson for the Italian fire rescue service. The coastguard patrol boats and fire brigades are still at the location and search operations are underway. As per the report, a fierce storm, including water spouts, battered the region overnight.
Hunt for the missing seven people Divers from the fire brigade have dived to reach the hull at a depth of 49 metres which was about half a mile from the coast. According to the Euro News, the boat called the “Bajesian”, was flying the British flag and was carrying mostly British citizens. The boat was also carrying nationals from New Zealand and Sri Lanka and two of the British nationals were dual citizens of France and Ireland.
During the rescue operation, the divers managed to rescue a one-year-old boy who was taken to the Children’s Hospital in Palermo. As the search for the missing seven people continues, the fire brigade has also dispatched a helicopter to search the area from above. One crew member, four Britons, one Canadian and two America.