More than 50 are believed to have died when a migrant boat capsized

The information comes from the UN migration organization, IOM, whose spokesperson tells the AP that the boat left Libya on Sunday.

Eighteen African migrants from Nigeria, Ghana and Gambia are said to have been rescued and taken ashore.

According to the survivors, the boat had problems with the engine and then capsized due to bad weather.

The number of boats with migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean has increased in recent months and as recently as last week, 17 people died off the coast of Tunisia after another boat sank.

The text is updated.