Italy's navy says it has rescued 52 migrants from a sinking rubber dinghy in the Mediterranean, but about 50 others are missing, the BBC reports.

A warship was able to pick up about half of those on board. Another two people were rescued after being spotted clinging to a floating barrel.

Meanwhile, migrants continue to arrive on the Greek island of Kos, where tensions are growing over the influx.

The European Commission has called the situation "beyond urgent".

A spokeswoman said that a "collective European response" was required to deal with the hundreds of thousands of people trying to reach European shores.

Greece and Italy alone have each received more than 100,000 migrants and refugees so far this year.

The Italian navy said it had co-ordinated the rescue of 1,700 people on Tuesday alone.