Rome: Better weather since last week has encouraged migrants to make the perilous journey from North Africa, where a breakdown of order in Libya has made it almost impossible to police the traffickers who pack people onto rickety boats.
More than 300 people died last week trying to make the crossing, which claimed 3,500 lives last year even before Italy closed its Mare Nostrum search and rescue mission in December.
The coast guard ship Fiorillo and several cutters were sent to the latest rescue, along with four merchant ships and two tug boats which were diverted to join the operation. One navy ship, two police patrol ships and a Maltese vessel had also been mobilised, the coast guard spokesman said.
Italy's coast guard went to the rescue of at least 1,000 migrants in difficulty in the sea between Europe and North Africa today, the third operation of its kind in as many days.
The coast guard said it had plucked more than 130 people from two rubber boats about 180 km (110 miles) south of the island of Lampedusa so far, and was working to save eight more vessels.
"We are certainly at more than 1,000 migrants" involved in today's rescue operation, a spokesman for the coast guard in Rome told Reuters.
More than 300 people died last week trying to make the crossing, which claimed 3,500 lives last year even before Italy closed its Mare Nostrum search and rescue mission in December.
Advertisement
© Thomson Reuters 2015
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Complete Migrant Labourers' Ration Card Verification In 1 Month: Supreme Court To States 33 Indian Farm Labourers Freed From "Slavery" By Italy Police Rwanda Government Says UK Migrant Deal Did Not Stipulate Return Of Funds What Trump Rally Shooter Did On Last Day Of His Life Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment Meet Indian-Origin Usha Chilukuri Vance, Wife Of Trump's Vice President Pick Elon Musk To Move Companies Out Of California Over Transgender Law Four In Five Americans Fear Country Is Sliding Into Chaos: Polls Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 2.39 Lakh Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.