Seven people are missing after a UK-flagged yacht, understood to be carrying British tourists, sank off the Italian coast this morning.

Emergency services descended on waters off the coast of Porticello in Sicily after the boat came into difficulty in the early hours of Monday - with divers scrambling to recover those on board.

Some 15 people, including a one-year-old baby, have already been rescued from the vessel, according to local media, with coastguard officials racing against time to reach the 50-metre-deep wreck.

Italy's national fire brigade, which runs search and rescue operations across the country, uploaded footage to social media of the scene in Porticello.

#Palermo, naufragio imbarcazione davanti alla costa di Porticello, 15 persone salvate, 7 segnalate come disperse: dall’alba #sommozzatori dei #vigilidelfuoco impegnati nelle ricerche. Relitto individuato a 50 metri di profondità, in arrivo sommozzatori speleo [#19agosto 10:00] pic.twitter.com/IJGP2aRRWB

— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) August 19, 2024

In the video, boats can be seen circling the water's surface - with the service confirming that specialist cave divers were arriving to contribute to rescue efforts.

The 50-metre vessel, named the Bayesian, was carrying a majority-British set of passengers alongside two Anglo-French citizens, an Irish national, a New Zealander and a Sri Lankan, news agency Adnkronos reported.

The 15 people rescued are all in stable condition, Adnkronos said.

Further local reports indicate the Bayesian sunk when a whirlwind and rough seas hit the area at sunrise.