Italian navy says 3,000 boat migrants in trouble off Libyan coast

The Italian navy has said it is co-ordinating the rescue of up to 3,000 migrants in waters off the Libyan coast. The alarm was raised after it apparently received distress calls from 18 different crowded vessels. About 430 people have been rescued so far, according to Italian media reports. Between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants were estimated to have been on 14 rubber dinghies and four other vessels. Over 104,000 migrants, mainly from Africa and the Middle East, have arrived at Italy’s southern ports this year after being rescued in the Mediterranean. But about 2,300 others have died at sea while trying to make it to Europe using people smugglers. Meanwhile, Greece and neighbouring Macedonia have seen a large increase in migrants in 2015, most fleeing conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Politics Italy rescue