2nd LD Writethru: Death toll of migrant crossing to Italy rises to 29

The death toll of a fatal Mediterranean sea crossing to Italy rose to 29 for a packed boat of migrants who were rescued by the Italian coastal guard off the southern island of Lampedusa on Monday.

Strong winter winds and waves made rescue operations difficult for the two guard ships that still managed to save the life of most of the 106 migrants on the boat.

Seven migrants were found dead, probably by hypothermia, while other 22 died later while being transported to Lampedusa, according to local reports. Some others were hospitalized.

Lampedusa Major Giusi Nicolini complained that the current rescue-and-search efforts of the European Union (EU) Frontex border patrol agency were not enough to prevent the tragic deaths.

"We cannot go on like this," she was quoted as saying by local media.

At least 3,419 migrants lost their lives in the Mediterranean in 2014, falling victim to international organized criminal groups which arranged the journeys, according to estimates of the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

The Italian government, which saved more than 150,000 sea migrants last year, has repeatedly called for more help from the EU in tackling the growing flows from North African and Middle Eastern countries to Italy, seen as a gate into Europe. Endit