800 illegal migrants rescued in Mediterranean

More than 800 illegal migrants, many from Eritrea, were rescued Friday in separate operations in the Mediterranean waters between Italy and Africa, local media reported. Some 400 people were rescued by two navy ships deployed by the Italian government after hundreds died in two shipwrecks earlier this month. Another two migrant boats were intercepted by the Italian Coast Guard and by a Panamanian-flagged merchant ship. One person was reported missing after he fell into the sea during the search and rescue operations, Rai state television reported. Some of the migrants were taken to Italy's southernmost island of Lampedusa, which has become a gateway for thousands of Africans trying to enter Europe. The Italian authorities have repeatedly called on the European Union (EU) to enhance efforts to help its Mediterranean members deal with the issue of illegal immigration.