The World Postlampedusa illegal immigrationRefugees

Italy's Coast Guard Confirms Rescue Of 700 Refugees Off Sicily Shores

700 Refugees Rescued By Italian Coast Guard
Agence France Presse
Italian Coast Guard personnel recover a body bag on their patrol boat in Lampedusa island, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013. Italian divers have recovered more bodies from the wreck of a smuggler's ship that sank off the tiny island of Lampedusa, raising the death toll to 250. Coast Guard Commander Filippo Marini said 18 bodies were recovered Tuesday from within the ship's hold, while one was spotted by a helicopter floating nearby the wreck. Marini said the search would continue as long as weather allows. Just 155 migrants, most if not all from Eritrea, survived last Thursday's shipwreck. Survivors said there were some 500 people on board when the ship capsized and sank in sight of land. A disproportionate number of the dead are women: So far the bodies of 75 women have been recovered, while only six of the survivors were female. Seven of the dead are children. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta)
Italian Coast Guard personnel recover a body bag on their patrol boat in Lampedusa island, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013. Italian divers have recovered more bodies from the wreck of a smuggler's ship that sank off the tiny island of Lampedusa, raising the death toll to 250. Coast Guard Commander Filippo Marini said 18 bodies were recovered Tuesday from within the ship's hold, while one was spotted by a helicopter floating nearby the wreck. Marini said the search would continue as long as weather allows. Just 155 migrants, most if not all from Eritrea, survived last Thursday's shipwreck. Survivors said there were some 500 people on board when the ship capsized and sank in sight of land. A disproportionate number of the dead are women: So far the bodies of 75 women have been recovered, while only six of the survivors were female. Seven of the dead are children. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta)

Nearly 700 refugees have been rescued off Sicily in five operations, Italy's coast guard said Friday, as European leaders grapple with the issue of illegal immigration at a European Union summit.

Coast guard patrol boats, navy vessels and a Maltese-flagged cargo vessel rescued five boats over the past 24 hours, the biggest of which was carrying 219 people, a coast guard statement said.

The 318 migrants picked up by the navy were all packed on two boats and were later transferred onto the San March amphibious assault ship taking part in a massive search and rescue operation.

The operation was launched by the Italian government in the wake of an October 3 refugee shipwreck tragedy just off the Italian island of Lampedusa in which 366 asylum seekers perished.

The coast guard rescued around 300 more migrants from two boats, while a Maltese vessel rescued 91 more around 200 kilometres south of Lampedusa.

Copyright (2013) AFP. All rights reserved.

Related

lampedusa illegal immigrationRefugeesitaly refugees

Before You Go

Syrians Find Tenuous Refuge In Lebanon

|
Submit a tip

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot