Italian coastguard rescues hundreds of migrants

They were taken on board and are receiving water, food and medical assistance.

Is it beyond the capacity of the world’s leaders to devise a plan for sharing the acceptance of these people over several continents and countries?

“These ships and their crews have undertaken hard and demanding missions with incredible professionalism and skill”, he said.

“Those who could not get out in time would have drowned nearly immediately”, it said.

The migrants, including 48 children and 94 women, will be sent to reception centers across Italy after initial health checks.

The boat was carrying in total some 650 people. Six other survivors were taken by helicopter to hospitals, and 26 bodies have been recovered. They were part of a larger group of 456 people rescued at sea, from the approximately 188,000 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean so far this year. Safer places on board cost more; life vests were sold separately for $25-$50, police said.

The Search and Rescue Operation began at 12.20pm GMT.

The LÉ Niamh has rescued 125 people from a highly overloaded inflatable vessel 115km northwest of Tripoli in the Mediteranean.

The overcrowded vessel was believed to have had more than 600 migrants onboard when it began the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, before getting into trouble and overturning on Wednesday.