(Recasts with bodies found)

ROME, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Italy's coastguard recovered the bodies on Tuesday of two migrants found floating in the sea off the island of Lampedusa but searches continued for up to 12 more bodies spotted earlier by the crew of a military aircraft.

Three boats were dispatched after what appeared to be the lifeless bodies of 10 migrants were sighted in Maltese waters, coastguard officials said. Local media said as many as 14 bodies had been seen.

Officials could not confirm the migrants were all dead until the bodies were recovered.

The coastguard said it was also trying to reach a boat carrying 28 migrants off the coast of Sicily.

Thousands of migrants attempt the perilous sea crossing from Africa to Europe each year, often in crowded, flimsy boats that may not survive the voyage.

Lampedusa, which is closer to Africa than mainland Italy, is a popular entry point for migrants in search of a better life in the European Union.

The loss of migrant lives at sea has prompted calls in Italy for action to prevent such incidents in the future.

"The umpteenth episode of deaths in Mediterranean waters raises alarm on the ever-greater risks in crossings that have been transformed into a Russian roulette," United Nations High Committee for Refugees spokeswoman Laura Boldrini said.

AlertNet news is provided by