1 dead, 6 missing after tourist sailboat sinks off Italy's Sicily

One body was identified and six people are still missing after a sailboat with 22 people on board sank on Monday in Italy's Sicily, reported Xinhua, quoting local media.

The 49-meter sailboat sank at around 5 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) in the stretch of the sea in Palermo, the capital city of Sicily, Ansa news agency reported.

The people on board were mostly British, with some crew members from New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland. Fifteen people have been rescued, while six remain missing and are believed to be trapped inside the boat, said the report.

The accident was reportedly caused by a whirlwind that hit the area.

Helicopters have been deployed to rescue the missing, and an investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.