(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-12-11 22:13

Istanbul - The death toll in the sinking of a boat carrying illegal migrants rose to 46 after three more bodies were found on Tuesday, an official said.

The 15-meter (50-foot) boat sank over the weekend off Turkey's Aegean coast, and most of the bodies were recovered on Monday, said Ercan Dogu, spokesman for the local governor in the coastal city of Izmir.

Dogu said most of the migrants on the boat were Palestinians, Somalis and Iraqis. The boat left Seferihisar, a town south of Izmir, with 85 people aboard and the vessel capsized in stormy weather about two hours after setting sail, according to local officials.

Six people were rescued, and paramilitary police and the coast guard were still searching for missing migrants with the help of local fishermen.