Four Britons among missing as sailboat sinks off Italian coast

Rescue efforts are ongoing off the coast of Porticello, near the Sicilian city of Palermo. Reuters

Sicily, August 19 - Seven people are missing after a sailboat sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning, the Italian fire and rescue service has said.

The 56m (183ft) sailboat was flying a British flag and four Britons are among those missing, Italian media has reported.

Emergency services rescued 15 people including a child after the vessel encountered poor weather off the coast of Palermo.

A wreck has been identified at a depth of 50m, the fire brigade said, with divers searching for the missing people.

The ship is managed by Camper and Nicholsons International. A spokesperson told the BBC that the firm was “dealing with a situation on board one of [its] managed vessels”, but would not confirm which vessel, or any further details