More than 1,200 migrants have arrived in Sicily after being rescued at sea by Norwegian and Irish vessels.
According to the International Organisation for Migration more than 150,000 migrants have arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean sea route so far this year.
It follows a deadly week for African migrants, after 40 people were feared drowned after their inflatable dinghy sank near the Libyan coast on Thursday.
Most of those arriving safely on Italian territory come from Syria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Eritreans are the second largest group after Syrians to risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean. Eritrea has called for a UN probe into what they called the ‘abhorrant’ chain of human trafficking, as refugees flee from the country in an exodus largely blamed on human rights abuses.
