Italy migrant tragedy death toll over 60; dozens missing

By PAOLO SANTALUCIA and LUIGI NAVARRA
Associated Press

STECCATO DI CUTRO, Italy (AP) — The death toll has risen to 62 in the migrant tragedy off Italy’s southern coast after rescue crews recovered three more bodies. Dozens more were believed to be missing. Children were among the dead after a wooden boat broke up in stormy seas on the reefs near the Calabrian coast on Sunday. At least 80 people survived but more were feared dead. Survivors told authorities that that the boat which set off from Turkey last week had carried about 170 people. The beach on Calabria’s Ionian coast was littered with the splintered remains of the boat as well as the belongings the migrants had brought with them. There were only a few life jackets scattered amid the debris.