ROME - A search operation was underway on Thursday after a boat carrying migrants from North Africa sank off the Libyan coast, leaving more than 20 missing.

 An Italian Navy operation rescued 93 survivors, when Coastal Guard ship Fiorillo intervened in the incident in the Sicily Strait.

 The latest in a long line of tragedies in the Mediterranean, Thursday’s shipwreck came as the future of search and rescue operations in the area are in jeopardy.

 Italian operation Mare Nostrum are currently preparing to hand over to EU scheme Triton.   Minister of the interior Angelino Alfano assured two weeks ago that “Mare Nostrum will not coexist with Triton, but will be closed,” outlining plans to cease operations before the end of October.

  However, Admiral Filippo Foffi appeared to contradict the government on Tuesday by stating that the Navy had as of yet received no order to cease operations, and furthermore arguing that Mare Nostrum should continue to operate alongside Triton. 

 Concerns have been raised that the EU rescue force Triton will receive only a third of the budget of Mare Nostrum, inhibiting its ability to conduct search and rescue operations. The new body will also reportedly place more emphasis on preventing illegal immigration, possibly diverting energies away from rescue efforts. 

 The revelation that there will be no U.K  funding for Triton from Prime Minister David Cameron certainly did not allay fears that the programme will be underfunded.  Under domestic pressure from anti-immigration party UKIP who stand at 19 percent in recent polls the Conservatives have significantly upped anti-EU and immigration rhetoric. Coalition partners the Liberal Democrats accused the Prime Minister of allowing people to die for political motives.