Hundreds of migrants rescued in Mediterranean

rome - Hundreds of migrants have been rescued in the past 24 hours from the Mediterranean. Some 750 people have been removed from boats, the Italian Coast Guard reported Saturday.

At least five people on board the ferry did not survive. Their bodies have been recovered. When rescue ships were both involved the Coast Guard and the Navy. Also, fishing boats and other commercial vessels arrived to help the migrants. A spokesman for the coast guard could not tell the nationality of the boat people.

According to official figures last year reached 181. 000 migrants Italy by boat. Many refugees were paying Libyan smugglers to help them to travel to Europe. At least five thousand people died during the crossing, according to the International Organization for Migration.