At least four migrants have died in the central Mediterranean. The authorities had ordered a merchant ship to the boat in the Algerian search and rescue zone (SAR), the Italian coast guard in Rome said.

The 13 migrants on board got into distress because of bad weather. When they saw the ship, they jumped into the water, according to the message. Six men and one woman made it on board the "Christina B". Four people were taken dead from the water, two were still missing.

Algerian authorities asked the Italian Coast Guard for help on Saturday because the migrants were close to Italy's search and rescue zone and more than 100 nautical miles from the North African country's coasts. Rome then coordinated the operation.

Time and again people leave the coasts of North Africa in unseaworthy boats for the EU and get into distress at sea. Many want to go to Italy, where, according to the Interior Ministry (as of Friday), more than 93,600 migrants have arrived by sea this year.

The new right-wing government wants to stop the crossings and instead set up centers in North Africa where refugees can apply for asylum in Europe. Recently, ships of international aid organizations with rescued migrants on board waited for days in front of Italy waiting to be able to dock, which caused a diplomatic row with France and Germany.