Almost 500 migrants rescued off Italian coast in 24 hours

2013-04-11 143

Italy's coastguard says its rescued nearly 500 migrants in 24 hours off the Sicilian coast after receiving several distress calls.

Authorities say people were crammed into five small inflatable boats which are believed to have begun their journeys in Libya.

Most of the migrants were taken to Lampedusa, a tiny island south of Sicily that receives thousands of immigrants each year.
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