More than 10,000 refugees bound for Italy have been rescued in the Mediterranean in the last 48 hours in a series of more than 70 operations led by the Italian coastguard and navy.
It was reported that 28 bodies had been recovered. Meanwhile, Italian officials said three babies had been born on a ship heading to Catania, Sicily, delivered with the assistance of doctors from the Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corp. All three were in good health.
The most recent rescue mission, in which 4,655 migrants were brought to safety, took place in the Strait of Sicily, and comprised 33 separate operations involving 27 rubber boats, one barge and five small boats.
The operations were led by the coastguard, and officials said Frontex, the EU rescue mission, and an Irish navy ship were involved as well as the aid groups Moas, Life Boat, Proactiva Open Arms and Watch the Med.
Earlier this week 6,055 people were rescued over a 24-hour period as the coastguard, navy and humanitarian groups came to the aid of 32 rubber dinghies, five large wooden boats and two rafts that were spotted 30 miles (48km) north of Libya.
Italy’s neighbours to the north – Austria, France and Switzerland – have essentially closed off their borders to new migrants, creating political tensions and forcing Italy to process and possibly relocate asylum seekers on its own.
Previously, the vast majority of migrants landing in Italy chose not to stay in and traveled north, often with Germany as a final destination.
