More than 40 people are feared to have drowned when a boat loaded with migrants ran into trouble after setting out from Libya.

UN officials said that after 15 hours at sea the vessel started taking on water.

A merchant ship rescued nearly 80 of the passengers, but dozens lost their lives during what was described as a difficult and delicate operation.

Among the missing is the mother of a baby who was brought ashore on the Italian island of Lampedusa.