Italian Coast Guard rescues thousands of migrants
Italy's coast guard has rescued 6,500 migrants in 42 boats this week. They have been taken to southern Italian ports. About 400 migrants died April 14 when their boat capsized.
In this video grab from the Italian Coast Guard, an officer rescues migrants off the coast of Sicily on April 12, 2015. The coastguard also reported recovering nine bodies after a boat carrying more than 150 migrants sank off Libya. They saved 144.AFP / Getty Images
An Italian coastguard officer throws a life vest to migrants off the coast of Sicily. During a surge of attempted illegal immigration to Europe almost 6,000 other migrants have been rescued.AFP / Getty Images
Rescued migrants wait to disembark from an Italian Navy vessel in the harbor of Reggio Calabria, southern Italy. Late next month, the EU's commissioner for migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, is expected to unveil a new EU strategy aimed at tackling the migrant wave.Adriana Sapone/The Associated Press
People wait after disembarking from the tanker Maria Bottiglieri which arrived carrying more than 110 Central African migrant men and women to the port of Corigliano Calabro. Italian coastguard intercepted 42 boats on April 12 and 13, carrying 6,500 migrants attempting to make the hazardous crossing to Europe.Alfonso Di Vincenzo/AFP / Getty Images
Migrants arrive at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbour Monday, April 13, 2015.Calogero Montanalampo/The Associated Press
Rescued migrants line up after disembarking at the southern Italian port of Corigliano, Italy. The aid group Save the Children estimated 400 people are believed to have drowned.Francesco Arena/The Associated Press
A migrant is photographed as he holds a Forensic Police Regional Cabinet number after he disembarked from an Italian Coast Guard ship in the harbor of Palermo, Sicily.Alessandro Fucarini/The Associated Press
A rescued migrant holds a Forensic Police Regional Cabinet number after disembarking from an Italian Coast Guard ship in the harbor of Palermo, Sicily.Alessandro Fucarini/The Associated Press
A migrant carrying her baby smiles after disembarking from an Italian Coast Guard ship in the harbor of Palermo, Sicily.Alessandro Fucarini/The Associated Press
A migrant reacts as he disembarks from a merchant ship as they arrive in the Sicilian harbour of Palermo. Some 480 migrants arrived on Wednesday including several pregnant women, bringing the number of arrivals at the port to around 1,500 in the last 24 hours, local media reported.Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters