According to the newspaper, earlier this week Italian police impounded a private yacht in Sicily after it brought 98 migrants from the Turkish coast. The migrants paid $9,100 per adult and were provided with life jackets, food and water and were even taking selfies on their way to Italy.
"The crew were very experienced and told us that our safety was important to them," a migrant who travelled on the yacht said, as quoted by the Telegraph.
Italian coast guards have been told to watch for yachts sitting suspiciously low in the water, as they may be overloaded with migrants.
Instability in the Middle East and Libya, including the advance of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, prompted many to seek refuge in Europe, with the Mediterranean Sea being one of the main routes to get there.
Last week, a boat carrying some 800 migrants sank while heading from Libya to Italy. Only 28 people were rescued.
