Italian Navy Rescues Hundreds in All-Night Operation

The Italian navy saved almost 500 migrants in a mission that lasted from Monday night to Tuesday morning and including more than 100 children.

After two tethered fishing boats that had been traveling across the Mediterranean Sea ran into distress off the coast of Sicily, the Associated Press reported that Italy’s navy took 74 women and 133 children on board their vessels, while 281 men were given life-preservers and instructed to hold tight until their Tuesday rescue. Most travelers came from Egypt, Syria, and Bangledesh, AP reports.

While the navy hasn’t disclosed how many of the children were with their families and how many were unaccompanied minors, Save the Children recently raised the alarm over what it alleges to be Italy’s failure to protect migrant children.

Since April 30, 3,848 minors and 2,744 unaccompanied minors have arrived in Italy, AP reported.

[AP]