More than 40 people are feared drowned off Italy in the latest sinking incident in the Mediterranean Sea.

According to media reports, 41 bodies and just four survivors were found by navy searchers on Thursday when they arrived in the Italian port of Traponi.

According to the survivors, their group of 45 people had left Tripoli on a raft, ANSA news agency reports.

In another incident, it was reported that a fight erupted between Christians and Muslims on a vessel fleeing from Libya.

The police in Sicily later arrested fifteen people on suspicion of multiple murder, based on the information provided by other migrants.

In the past days more than 10 000 migrants have been rescued in the Mediterranean Sea, mostly between Libya and Italy.

In one of the latest incidents, nearly 400 migrants were feared drowned as their boat capsized off the Libyan coast.

The European Commission admitted on Thursday that the situation was deteriorating quickly, as hundreds of migrants have perished since the beginning of the year.

Italy, which is the primary choice of migrants due to being the closest landing point, complained that it has not been receiving enough help from the EU.

Italian authorities are prepared for increase in the number arrivals as the weather and sea conditions have improved with the coming of the spring.