THREE sisters have tragically drowned after a "dangerously overcrowded" migrant boat heading to Italy overturned.

The bodies of the sisters, aged 9, 11 and 17, were found inside the boat after rescuers rushed to save the migrants coming from Libya.

Migrant charity RESQSHIP said the boat was "dangerously overcrowded" and had been buffeted by waves up to 5ft before a rescue vessel arrived at the scene.

Among the 65 people rescued by the charity's Nadir vessel were three pregnant women, children, and a seven-month-old baby.

One person fell overboard earlier in the crossing and remains missing, the charity added in a statement.

The Nadir intercepted the rubber boat, which had departed from Zuwara in Libya overnight on Friday, after being alerted by the hotline rescue operator Alarm Phone,

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