A Tunisian fishing boat reportedly attempted to steal the engine of the migrant boat near the Italian island of Lampedusa. There were 34 people on board during the incident.
The four-year-old girl reportedly fell off the boat during a scuffle and has been missing since, according to Italian authorities.
The boat had departed from the Tunisian coastal town of Sfax, and was later picked up by the Italian coast guard as well as by the Guardia di Finanza, which is the Italian police department which handles crimes related to people smuggling.
According to the ANSA news agency, the rescued people were taken to nearby Lampedusa island, which currently is hosting more than five times the capacity of migrants that it is usually able to welcome.
Read more: Tunisian coast guard stops 1,800 migrants on Med crossing
Migration to Italy on the rise once more
Lampedusa is located nearly 200 kilometers north of Sfax. It is the main point of arrival for many migrants departing from Tunisia and Libya.
Italy has been overwhelmed by a recent spike in migrant arrivals; the government has tried to make conditions for migrants attempting to reach Italy more difficult. But despite these efforts, the number of migrants and refugees arriving has been rapidly increasing, according to the Interior Ministry.
In the first four months of 2023, more than 40,000 people have reached Italian soil using irregular means. For the past 12 months, that number comes to 90,000.
Thousands of people meanwhile drown every year trying to cross the dangerous sea route to Europe with the help of smugglers.
Read more: Lampedusa migrant arrivals: Italian interior minister promises task force
with dpa