The bodies of five migrant women have been recovered off the coast of Italy as search efforts continued for another dozen people feared missing in the capsizing of a crowded fishing boat.

Waves as high as three metres complicated the coast guard search by boat and helicopter near the island of Lampedusa off the southern tip of Italy.

The coast guard rescued 149 migrants on Saturday after their foundering boat overturned. Survivors told authorities that 169 had been originally crowded aboard the 10-metre craft used by Libya-based migrant smugglers.

Survivors included a one-year-old baby, two other children whose parents couldn’t immediately be located among the survivors, and 13 women.

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Two Lampedusa fishermen who said bad weather kept their fleet from going out to sea on Saturday spotted the migrants’ struggling fishing boat. They then alerted rescue authorities.

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