Italian Navy Vessels Rescue More Than 800 Refugees in Straits of Sicily

Immigration to be a big topic at EU summit

More than 800 refugees have been rescued in four different operations in the strait between Sicily and Tunisia earlier today, authorities told ANSAmed on Friday.

Two Italian Navy vessels patrolling the area as part of the new Mare Nostrum surveillance operation picked up 400 people, and two Coast Guard cutters sailed from the Italian island of Lampedusa to rescue 250 people on board a vessel in distress 25 miles off the coast.