More than 800 migrants rescued in Sicilian Channel
(ANSA) – Rome, October 25 – More than 800 migrants were rescued in four separate interventions in the Sicilian Channel between Italy and Africa Friday.
Two boats were picked up by Italian Navy ships deployed in Italy’s new Mare Nostrum search-and-rescue operation, launched after more than 400 migrants drowned in two disasters earlier this month.
One boat was intercepted by the Coast Guard and one by a Panamanian-flagged merchant ship.
Some of the migrants will be taken to the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is nearer to Libya than Africa and bears the brunt of flows, although its reception centre is already packed well beyond capacity.
Other destinations are being “evaluated,” officials said.
Some of the migrants came from Eritrea, they said.