SICILY - The bodies of 10 migrants have been recovered from the Strait of Sicily by a merchant ship heading to Augusta, coast guard officials said Wednesday.

The 10 had been aboard the Occ Cougar, a Libyan oil tanker, with 121 other passengers before the vessel capsized.  Those pulled to safety included a number of women and children. Searches for further survivors are being carried out and the authorities of Siracusa have opened an inquiry to investigate the shipwreck and multiple accounts of manslaughter.

 Some 1000 migrants in total are expected arrive in Sicily. An oil tanker will dock in the harbour of Pozzallo carrying 183 and a further 319 will disembark at Porto Empedocle, in the south west of the island. The ship which rescued the Occ Cougar survivors, the Dattilo, had already been carrying 318 passengers, and so will arrive with 439 aboard.