Italian navy rescues 1,000 more migrants in Mediterranean Sea

LAMPEDUSA , Italy, May 21 (UPI) -- Nearly 1,000 undocumented migrants heading to Europe, including 170 children, were rescued in the seas off the coast of southern Italy in the past two days by the Italian navy.

In the most recent incident, 462 migrants were rescued Tuesday off Italy's Lampedusa Island in the Mediterranean Sea. On Monday, 488 were located off Sicily's Capo Passero.

The migrants, typically escaping war and poverty in North Africa and the Middle East, arrive in overcrowded, unseaworthy boats, and sinkings were common until Italy employed its "Mare Nostrum" plan to aid stricken vessels and bring them to safety. Patrol boats locate the boats, then notify the Italian coast guard and navy.

Those rescued this week are believed to be from Syria, as well as from Egypt and Bangladesh. The group arriving Monday included 133 children; Tuesday's rescue involved 37 children. Although most travel with families, the charitable organization Save the Children noted the number of unaccompanied minors aboard the boats is growing, adding that the number of facilities to protect them is inadequate.

Italy has taken in over 25,000 migrants this year, compared to fewer than 3,500 in the same period in 2013. Those detected attempting to enter the European Union without proper documentation rose by nearly half compared to 2013, the border agency Frontex said, with one in four arriving from Syria.