LAMPEDUSA, Italy (Reuters) -At least 26 people died in a migrant shipwreck on Wednesday off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa and 60 survivors were brought ashore, the coastguard said, warning more bodies could be missing as search operations continue.

As of Wednesday, 38,263 migrants have arrived on Italy's shores this year, with 675 deaths on the central Mediterranean route so far.

After two boats sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa on Wednesday, 60 survivors were rescued and 27 people were confirmed dead. Many of the boats' passengers, migrants trying to enter Europe, are still missing.