Rome: Some 50 migrants were found dead in the hold of a boat off the coast of Libya on Wednesday during a rescue operation which saved 430 other people, the Italian coast guard said.

A spokeswoman for the Italian coast guard said the Swedish ship Poseidon, working with the European Union's Frontex border control agency, had gone to help the people on the boat where the bodies were found.

Emergency calls for help have been received so far on Wednesday from 10 boats in difficulty around 30 miles (50 km) from the coast of Libya, the spokeswoman said. Five rescue operations have been concluded, but others are still underway.