Seven people died of hypothermia while aboard a migrant boat carrying around 280 people that landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa overnight, sources said on Tuesday.
The deceased were all young Bangladeshi nationals, the sources said.
The migrant boat departed from Libya two or three days ago, according to the sources.
Most of the people aboard were from Bangladesh and Egypt.
"Again a tragedy, again we cry for innocent victims," said Lampedusa Mayor Linosa Totò Martello.
"Here we continue to do our bit, among a thousand difficulties, even though the Italian government and Europe seem to have forgotten Lampedusa and the Lampedusans".
Prosecutors in the Sicilian city of Agrigento have opening an investigation into the deaths of the seven people.
Photo: an archive image of Italian coast guards at work.
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