ROME (AP) — A sailboat believed to be carrying foreign tourists capsized and sank off Sicily in bad weather early Monday, and seven people were missing, authorities said.

Fifteen people were rescued from the 49-meter (160-foot) sailboat, but another seven were unaccounted for, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for the Italian fire rescue service.

He said a helicopter and rescue boats from the coast guard and fire rescue service were at the scene searching for the missing. The boat capsized around 5 a.m. off Palermo.

Local media said a fierce storm, including water spouts, battered the area overnight. The daily Il Giornale de Sicilia reported the sailboat was flying a British flag and had mostly British passengers on board, but also people form New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.

The ANSA news agency said the boat, which it said was named “Bajesian,” had been moored in the port at Porticello and had set sail on Sunday evening.