March 13 (UPI) -- More than two dozen people were missing in the central Mediterranean Sea after a boat traveling from Libya over the weekend capsized in bad weather, several organizations said while lambasting the Italian government for not intervening.
The boat with 47 migrants on board was traveling from Libya when it capsized north of the African nation on Sunday, with only 17 people being rescued by a merchant vessel, according to Alarm Phone, an organization that seeks to help refugees in distress in the Mediterranean Sea, and nonprofit organization Mediterranean Saving Humans.
Alarm Phone said it was alerted to the boat in distress early Saturday and repeatedly notified Italian and other government authorities of the situation, but none initiated rescue operations.
The boat was adrift in dangerous weather conditions and Alarm Phone said it could hear people over the phone in need of assistance.
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