Authorities have recovered 20 bodies, and are searching for another 12 to 17 survivors, according to the UN refugee agency. View on euronews

An Italian law enforcement aircraft spotted a capsized boat with bodies in the water about 14 miles off Lampedusa on Wednesday morning, triggering a rescue operation, the coastguard said in a statement.

As of Wednesday, 38,263 migrants have arrived on Italy's shores this year, with 675 deaths on the central Mediterranean route so far.