Italy Rescues Record Number of Migrants Off Libyan Coast

Italian Coast Guard rescued the record number of about 4,400 migrants from the waters off the Libyan coast during an operation in the Mediterranean, local media reported Sunday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The operation, which was carried out on Saturday, was launched after the coast guard had received the calls of distress from about 20 boats stranded in the sea.

The migrants used six barges and 16 boats to reach Europe, the Italian La Stampa newspaper said.

The total number of migrants in the vessels was previously put at some 3,000.