29th September, 2015
No fewer than 1,151 migrants were pulled out of boats in the Mediterranean sea, off the coast of Libya, in 11 rescue operations by Italian authorities, a report said.
The rescued migrants were being transported to the Italian ports of Lampedusa and Pozzallo on Monday, before the rescue mission.
The EU has seen an influx of migrants who continue to flee war-torn states of Syria, Iraq and others, seeking for a better life in Europe.
In the same development, the European Council on Monday announced the second phase of the EU operation to tackle the surging numbers of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, and renamed it “Operation Sophia”.
A statement by the Council said that “from October 7, officers will be able to board, search, seize and divert vessels suspected of being used for human smuggling” in international waters.
It would be recalled that the first phase of the operation focused on dealing with the influx of migrants, and only allowed voluntary boarding of vessels.
However, the second stage, which aims to reduce the capacities of people smugglers, was approved in mid-September, but was held up while contributing states mustered the resources.
The operation was renamed Sophia, from EUNAVFOR, following the birth of a baby girl born to a Somalian migrant during a rescue by a German vessel