Rome, 6 August 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Two migrant boats capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean Sea over the weekend, with the fate of 30 missing people aboard still unclear.

Italy's coastguard said 57 migrants were rescued from the wrecks and the dead bodies of an adult woman and an 11-month-old toddler were recovered.

Among those missing are two children, according to the United Nations (UN) refugee agency UNCHR.

A video from the coast guard showed the dramatic rescue of people being pulled into lifeboats amid very high waves.

Despite choppy seas, many migrants have recently attempted the treacherous boat crossing from North Africa to Lampedusa.

About 20 migrants reached the island by boat on Friday, but landed in bay amid such rough waves that the coastguard was unable to rescue them by sea, according to the ANSA news agency. Mountain rescue workers managed to evacuate them over the cliffs on Sunday.

Whoever sends the migrants off in boats in such swells is an "unscrupulous, crazy criminal", Emanuele Ricifari, the chief of police responsible for the island, told the news outlet agrigentooggi.it.

"Rough seas are forecast to continue for the next few days," he added. "It's carnage in this sea."

According to the Ministry of the Interior in Rome, more than 90,000 migrants have reached Italian shores so far this year, more than twice as many people as in the same period last year.

Most of those who are not intercepted off the North African coast are picked up by Italian government patrol ships or charity rescue ships and brought to initial reception centres.

Photo: MIA archive