Over 2.000 African Migrants Rescued in Mediterranean

At least 10 bodies were recovered Saturday from a rubber dinghy off the Libyan coast, the Italian coast guard said.

Fifteen operations were conducted during the day, rescuing 2,100 migrants — almost twice as many as Friday, when 1,200 people were rescued.

Another 420 migrants, including seven pregnant women and 78 minors, had been rescued earlier and were brought ashore Saturday at the port of Trapani in Sicily.

Beppe Galea Mallia, chief officer on MOAS (Migrant Off-Shore Aid Station) ship Phoenix Italian, said those migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya in three operations Thursday.

Mallia said no one was in serious medical condition, with the exception of two individuals with broken legs, a couple of cases of scabies and seasickness.

According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, 153,632 migrants have arrived in Europe via the central Mediterranean route this year as of October 24, but thousands have died in the attempt.

VOA