Five bodies found as Italian navy rescues hundreds of migrants
Monday, 21 July 2014
More than 800 migrants were rescued overnight while attempting to cross the Mediterranean, the Italian navy said on Monday, while five bodies were recovered in the operation. The latest rescue comes amid a surge in the number of migrants attempting to reach Europe from Africa, as traffickers take advantage of calm summer seas to make the dangerous crossing. The navy said four of its boats were involved in the operation, which lasted through Sunday night and continued into Monday, together with a merchant ship that happened to be in the area. Some 824 migrants were rescued from an assortment of dinghies, rafts and other boats -- among them at least 91 women and 14 children. In the biggest operation, a navy frigate rescued 294 migrants, including 28 women and nine children, from three dinghies, according to AFP.