Russia has started establishing a permanent military presence at naval and air bases in Syria, the defence minister said on Tuesday as parliament ratified a deal with Damascus to cement Russian presence in the country, the RIA news agency reported.

The deal, signed on January 18 will expand the Tartus naval facility, Russia&#39;s only naval foothold in the Mediterranean, and grant Russian warships access to Syrian waters and ports, Viktor Bondarev, head of the upper house security and defence committee, told RIA.

RIA news agency separately quoted Sergei Shoigu as saying: &quot;Last week the Commander-in-Chief (President Vladimir Putin) approved the structure and the bases in Tartus and in Hmeimim (air base). We have begun forming a permanent presence there.&quot;

The Tartus naval facility, in use since the says of the Soviet Union, is too small to play host to larger warships.

According to the RIA report, the agreement will allow Russia to keep 11 warships at Tartus, including nuclear vessels.

The agreement will last for 49 years and could be prolonged further.

The Hmeimim air base, from which Russia has launched numerous air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad during his war with rebels, can now be used by Russia indefinitely, according to the deal.

Russia has started establishing a permanent military presence at naval and air bases in Syria, Russian defence minister said on Tuesday

Russia has started establishing a permanent military presence at naval and air bases in Syria, the defence minister said on Tuesday as parliament ratified a deal with Damascus to cement Russian presence in the country, the RIA news agency reported. The deal, signed on January 18 will expand the Tartus naval facility, Russia's only naval foothold in the Mediterranean, and grant Russian warships access to Syrian waters and ports, Viktor Bondarev, head of the upper house security and defence committee, told RIA. RIA news agency separately quoted Sergei Shoigu as saying: "Last week the Commander-in-Chief (President Vladimir Putin) approved the structure and the bases in Tartus and in Hmeimim (air base). We have begun forming a permanent presence there." The Tartus naval facility, in use since the says of the Soviet Union, is too small to play host to larger warships. According to the RIA report, the agreement will allow Russia to keep 11 warships at Tartus, including nuclear vessels. The agreement will last for 49 years and could be prolonged further. The Hmeimim air base, from which Russia has launched numerous air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad during his war with rebels, can now be used by Russia indefinitely, according to the deal.

Russia establishes permanent presence at Syrian bases, report

More than 33,000 migrants have died at sea trying to reach European shores since 2000, making the Mediterranean &quot;by far the world&#39;s deadliest border&quot;, the United Nations migration agency said on Friday.

After record arrivals from 2014 to 2016, the European Union&#39;s deal with Turkey to stop arrivals to Greece and blocks on migrants inside Libya and off its coast have greatly reduced the flow, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

Professor Philippe Fargues of the European University Institute in Florence, author of the report, said the figures probably underestimated the actual scale of the human tragedy.

&quot;The report states that at least 33,761 migrants were reported to have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean between the year 2000 to 2017. This number is as of June 30,&quot; IOM&#39;s Jorge Galindo told a Geneva news briefing.

&quot;It concludes that Europe&#39;s Mediterranean border is by far the world&#39;s deadliest,&quot; he said.

So far this year some 161,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Europe by sea, about 75 per cent of them landing in Italy with the rest in Greece, Cyprus and Spain, according to IOM figures. Nearly 3,000 others are dead or missing, it said.

&quot;Shutting the shorter and less dangerous routes can open longer and more dangerous routes, thus increasing the likelihood of dying at sea,&quot; Fargues said.

The report said: &quot;Cooperation with Turkey to stem irregular flows is now being replicated with Libya, the main country of departure of migrants smuggled along the central route; however, such an approach is not only morally reprehensible but likely to be unsuccessful, given the context of extremely poor governance, instability and political fragmentation in Libya.&quot;

Though sea arrivals to Italy are down almost a third this year, this week there was a surge in rescues and attempted crossings.

On Friday, Libya&#39;s EU-backed coastguard intercepted more than 600 mainly sub-Saharan African migrants, including many women and children, from a total of five boats that had left from the coast east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, coast guard officials said.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Italy&#39;s coast guard said some 1,600 migrants were rescued from nearly 20 vessels in the central Mediterranean.

Libya&#39;s UN.-backed government said on Thursday it was investigating reports of African migrants being sold as slaves and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Footage broadcast by CNN appearing to show African migrants being traded in Libya sparked an international outcry and protests in Europe and Africa.

More than 33,000 migrants have died at sea trying to reach European shores since 2000, making the Mediterranean "by far the world's deadliest border", the United Nations migration agency said on Friday

More than 33,000 migrants have died at sea trying to reach European shores since 2000, making the Mediterranean "by far the world's deadliest border", the United Nations migration agency said on Friday. After record arrivals from 2014 to 2016, the European Union's deal with Turkey to stop arrivals to Greece and blocks on migrants inside Libya and off its coast have greatly reduced the flow, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. Professor Philippe Fargues of the European University Institute in Florence, author of the report, said the figures probably underestimated the actual scale of the human tragedy. "The report states that at least 33,761 migrants were reported to have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean between the year 2000 to 2017. This number is as of June 30," IOM's Jorge Galindo told a Geneva news briefing. "It concludes that Europe's Mediterranean border is by far the world's deadliest," he said. So far this year some 161,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Europe by sea, about 75 per cent of them landing in Italy with the rest in Greece, Cyprus and Spain, according to IOM figures. Nearly 3,000 others are dead or missing, it said. "Shutting the shorter and less dangerous routes can open longer and more dangerous routes, thus increasing the likelihood of dying at sea," Fargues said. The report said: "Cooperation with Turkey to stem irregular flows is now being replicated with Libya, the main country of departure of migrants smuggled along the central route; however, such an approach is not only morally reprehensible but likely to be unsuccessful, given the context of extremely poor governance, instability and political fragmentation in Libya." Though sea arrivals to Italy are down almost a third this year, this week there was a surge in rescues and attempted crossings. On Friday, Libya's EU-backed coastguard intercepted more than 600 mainly sub-Saharan African migrants, including many women and children, from a total of five boats that had left from the coast east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, coast guard officials said. On Wednesday and Thursday, Italy's coast guard said some 1,600 migrants were rescued from nearly 20 vessels in the central Mediterranean. Libya's UN.-backed government said on Thursday it was investigating reports of African migrants being sold as slaves and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice. Footage broadcast by CNN appearing to show African migrants being traded in Libya sparked an international outcry and protests in Europe and Africa.

Mediterranean 'by far world's deadliest border' for migrants: UN agency

About 550 migrants, most of them from West Africa, were pulled to safety from boats in the Mediterranean on Monday in five operations during which rescuers also recovered five dead bodies, Italy&#39;s coast guard said.

The bodies were in a rubber dinghy and one other person from the dinghy had drowned, according to aid group SOS Mediterranee, whose Aquarius vessel helped in the rescues off Libya&#39;s coast.

&quot;We recovered five bodies dead inside the rubber boat after the rescue, and one person drowned,&quot; an SOS Mediterranee spokeswoman said, quoting two rescue workers who said they saw the person drowning. They were not able to recover the body.

A boy, who was unconscious for two hours, and a woman who had inhaled a lot of fuel, were evacuated by helicopter.

An Italian coast guard ship, a naval vessel and a Danish chemical tanker also took part in the rescues, the coast guard said in a statement.

The death toll in the Mediterranean has surged this year to 4,271 as of Nov. 14, compared to 3,777 in the whole of 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The deadliest route is across the Mediterranean towards Italy from Libya, where smugglers have taken advantage of a breakdown of order to pack people into unseaworthy boats.

(Reuters)

The five dead bodies were recovered from a rubber dinghy

About 550 migrants, most of them from West Africa, were pulled to safety from boats in the Mediterranean on Monday in five operations during which rescuers also recovered five dead bodies, Italy's coast guard said. The bodies were in a rubber dinghy and one other person from the dinghy had drowned, according to aid group SOS Mediterranee, whose Aquarius vessel helped in the rescues off Libya's coast. "We recovered five bodies dead inside the rubber boat after the rescue, and one person drowned," an SOS Mediterranee spokeswoman said, quoting two rescue workers who said they saw the person drowning. They were not able to recover the body. A boy, who was unconscious for two hours, and a woman who had inhaled a lot of fuel, were evacuated by helicopter. An Italian coast guard ship, a naval vessel and a Danish chemical tanker also took part in the rescues, the coast guard said in a statement. The death toll in the Mediterranean has surged this year to 4,271 as of Nov. 14, compared to 3,777 in the whole of 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration. The deadliest route is across the Mediterranean towards Italy from Libya, where smugglers have taken advantage of a breakdown of order to pack people into unseaworthy boats. (Reuters)

Mediterranean rescuers save 550 migrants at sea, recover five bodies

Horrific scenes unfolded in the Mediterranean off Libya Saturday as a full-to-capacity rescue ship was forced to sail away from desperate migrants trying to swim towards the rescuers.&nbsp;

In a 24-long rescue operation, the crew of the Norwegian Siem Pilot and another aid boat pulled 14 dead bodies from the water and rescued around 2,400 migrants, according to the Italian coast guard.&nbsp;

The rescuers had limited resources as they struggled to rescue panicked migrants in the dark. &quot;I&#39;ve never had a SAR (search and rescue) like it. We were in the process of transferring 1,000 migrants from the Okyroe (tanker) to the Siem Pilot when suddenly, in the dark, rubber boats appeared. It looked hopeless,&quot; said Pal Erik Teigen, the police officer in charge of the rescue operation.

25 migrants aboard the rubber boats in an attempt to reach the ship, Siem Pilot, which was already full to capacity, threw themselves into the water to swim towards the vessel. With migrants crying out for help, the captain was forced to pull back to deter others on the dinghy from doing the same.&nbsp;

The migrants were transferred onto the tanker to await rescue by another vessel, while the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity&#39;s Dignity vessel picked up the dead. &quot;It was chaos on the tanker. They were pushing us towards the only way off the boat, coming from everywhere and pushing for lifejackets, arguing over them,&quot; said Jan Erik Valen, an intelligence officer and crew member who provided security for the operation.&nbsp;

&quot;Then they came up from behind us and we had to call for back-up. Other police officers from the Siem Pilot joined us with riot shields... we were banging our sticks on pipes to make a lot of noise, and we had to hit a few of them.&quot;&nbsp;

Many of the migrants fainted during the rescue mission and had to be dragged on board the ship. Others sat in tight rows on the bridge of the ship, with only a thin sheet of webbing to protect them from the baking sun. Among the migrants were several young children, as well as entire families and some unaccompanied teenagers.

The operation was just one part of a massive effort underway in the Mediterranean to rescue desperate migrants making the perilous journey to Europe. The number of migrants attempting the journey has increased in recent weeks to land in Europe before the treacherous winter conditions.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

At least 14 migrants drown in the Mediterranean during a dramatic rescue mission that saved thousands

Horrific scenes unfolded in the Mediterranean off Libya Saturday as a full-to-capacity rescue ship was forced to sail away from desperate migrants trying to swim towards the rescuers. In a 24-long rescue operation, the crew of the Norwegian Siem Pilot and another aid boat pulled 14 dead bodies from the water and rescued around 2,400 migrants, according to the Italian coast guard. The rescuers had limited resources as they struggled to rescue panicked migrants in the dark. "I've never had a SAR (search and rescue) like it. We were in the process of transferring 1,000 migrants from the Okyroe (tanker) to the Siem Pilot when suddenly, in the dark, rubber boats appeared. It looked hopeless," said Pal Erik Teigen, the police officer in charge of the rescue operation. 25 migrants aboard the rubber boats in an attempt to reach the ship, Siem Pilot, which was already full to capacity, threw themselves into the water to swim towards the vessel. With migrants crying out for help, the captain was forced to pull back to deter others on the dinghy from doing the same. The migrants were transferred onto the tanker to await rescue by another vessel, while the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity's Dignity vessel picked up the dead. "It was chaos on the tanker. They were pushing us towards the only way off the boat, coming from everywhere and pushing for lifejackets, arguing over them," said Jan Erik Valen, an intelligence officer and crew member who provided security for the operation. "Then they came up from behind us and we had to call for back-up. Other police officers from the Siem Pilot joined us with riot shields... we were banging our sticks on pipes to make a lot of noise, and we had to hit a few of them." Many of the migrants fainted during the rescue mission and had to be dragged on board the ship. Others sat in tight rows on the bridge of the ship, with only a thin sheet of webbing to protect them from the baking sun. Among the migrants were several young children, as well as entire families and some unaccompanied teenagers. The operation was just one part of a massive effort underway in the Mediterranean to rescue desperate migrants making the perilous journey to Europe. The number of migrants attempting the journey has increased in recent weeks to land in Europe before the treacherous winter conditions. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Italian coast guard rescues 2,400 migrants off Libya

Spain&#39;s seaside city of Barcelona on Thursday unveiled a large digital counter that will track the number of refugees who die in the Mediterranean, next to one of its popular beaches. 
 
&quot;We are inaugurating this shame counter, which will update all known victims who drowned in the Mediterranean in real time,&quot; said Mayor Ada Colau.&nbsp;The monument consists of a large metal rectangular pillar that comes decked out with a digital counter above the inscription &quot;This isn&#39;t just a number, these are people&quot;. 
 
The counter kicked off with &quot;3,034&quot;, the number of migrants and refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2016, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 
 
&quot;We&#39;re here to look the Mediterranean in the face and look at this number, 3,034 people who drowned because they were not offered a safe passage,&quot; said Colau, as swimmers took advantage of the last rays of sunshine nearby. 
 
The fatality rate this year is higher than in the same period in 2015, the IOM said this week.&nbsp;One reason for the higher death toll this year is that there have been a series of shipwrecks involving larger vessels carrying several hundred people rather than the more typical dinghies that carry a maximum of 100 migrants. 
 
Syrians fleeing the country&#39;s brutal war again made up the largest group to have risked their lives to make the dangerous sea crossing so far this year.&nbsp;Afghans were next on the list, followed by Iraqis. 
 
(AFP)

The counter kicked off with 3,034, which is the total number of migrants and refugees who have died in 2016 while crossing the Mediterranean

Spain's seaside city of Barcelona on Thursday unveiled a large digital counter that will track the number of refugees who die in the Mediterranean, next to one of its popular beaches. "We are inaugurating this shame counter, which will update all known victims who drowned in the Mediterranean in real time," said Mayor Ada Colau. The monument consists of a large metal rectangular pillar that comes decked out with a digital counter above the inscription "This isn't just a number, these are people". The counter kicked off with "3,034", the number of migrants and refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2016, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). "We're here to look the Mediterranean in the face and look at this number, 3,034 people who drowned because they were not offered a safe passage," said Colau, as swimmers took advantage of the last rays of sunshine nearby. The fatality rate this year is higher than in the same period in 2015, the IOM said this week. One reason for the higher death toll this year is that there have been a series of shipwrecks involving larger vessels carrying several hundred people rather than the more typical dinghies that carry a maximum of 100 migrants. Syrians fleeing the country's brutal war again made up the largest group to have risked their lives to make the dangerous sea crossing so far this year. Afghans were next on the list, followed by Iraqis. (AFP)

Barcelona unveils 'shame counter' that tracks refugee deaths

Rescuers saved 366 migrants from rickety boats trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, but at least 20 were reported to have drowned, Italian police said today. 
 
The survivors, who were rescued in four separate operations, were crammed onto three rubber dinghies and a wooden fishing boat. 
 
They were all taken to the Sicilian port of Augusta, where they were questioned on Friday evening by the Italian police unit, Interforce, which combats illegal immigration. 
 
The Norwegian ship, Siem Pilot, went to the aid of one dinghy that sank in the Sicilian Channel, but many migrants were already in the sea when it arrived, Antonio Panzanaro, an Interforce official, told Reuters. One corpse was recovered, but survivors said that at least 20 had drowned before the ship arrived, he said. 
 
There were 82 women and 25 children among the 366 people rescued, he said. The survivors were mainly from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Bangladesh. 
 
Seven people were arrested from the four boats, including their drivers, on suspicion of people-trafficking, he said. 
 
Italy has long been on the front line of seaborne migration from Africa to Europe, and is now the main point of entry after the European Union struck a deal with Turkey to stem flows to Greece amid Europe&#39;s worst migration crisis since World War II. 
 
Slightly fewer migrants arrived on Italian shores in the first six months of 2016 compared with the same period last year, but the number of deaths on the route has risen, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). 
 
More than 67,000 seaborne migrants arrived in Italy between January 1 and July 3, according to the International organisation of migration (IOM). 
 
(Reuters)

The migrants from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Bangladesh were trying to cross over to Italy

Rescuers saved 366 migrants from rickety boats trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, but at least 20 were reported to have drowned, Italian police said today. The survivors, who were rescued in four separate operations, were crammed onto three rubber dinghies and a wooden fishing boat. They were all taken to the Sicilian port of Augusta, where they were questioned on Friday evening by the Italian police unit, Interforce, which combats illegal immigration. The Norwegian ship, Siem Pilot, went to the aid of one dinghy that sank in the Sicilian Channel, but many migrants were already in the sea when it arrived, Antonio Panzanaro, an Interforce official, told Reuters. One corpse was recovered, but survivors said that at least 20 had drowned before the ship arrived, he said. There were 82 women and 25 children among the 366 people rescued, he said. The survivors were mainly from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Bangladesh. Seven people were arrested from the four boats, including their drivers, on suspicion of people-trafficking, he said. Italy has long been on the front line of seaborne migration from Africa to Europe, and is now the main point of entry after the European Union struck a deal with Turkey to stem flows to Greece amid Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II. Slightly fewer migrants arrived on Italian shores in the first six months of 2016 compared with the same period last year, but the number of deaths on the route has risen, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). More than 67,000 seaborne migrants arrived in Italy between January 1 and July 3, according to the International organisation of migration (IOM). (Reuters)

Rescuers save 366 migrants from dinghies in Mediterranean, at least 20 dead

Aircraft debris believed to have come from an EgyptAir crash in May has washed up on a beach near Tel Aviv, an official in the Israeli premier&#39;s office said Friday. 
 
&quot;Debris have been collected and there is a high probability that these originate from the Egyptian plane,&quot; the official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s office said. 
 
Netanyahu has instructed that the plane parts found on a beach in the coastal town of Netanya on Thursday be handed over to Egypt, he said. 
 
Experts are still investigating the cause of the May 19 crash of the Airbus A320 which went down in the eastern Mediterranean on a flight from Paris to Cairo, killing all 66 people on board. 
 
Investigators have said the plane&#39;s wreckage showed signs of fire, while a data recorder has confirmed that smoke alarms had been activated. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Experts are still investigating the cause of the May 19 crash of the Airbus A320 which went down in the eastern Mediterranean

Aircraft debris believed to have come from an EgyptAir crash in May has washed up on a beach near Tel Aviv, an official in the Israeli premier's office said Friday. "Debris have been collected and there is a high probability that these originate from the Egyptian plane," the official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said. Netanyahu has instructed that the plane parts found on a beach in the coastal town of Netanya on Thursday be handed over to Egypt, he said. Experts are still investigating the cause of the May 19 crash of the Airbus A320 which went down in the eastern Mediterranean on a flight from Paris to Cairo, killing all 66 people on board. Investigators have said the plane's wreckage showed signs of fire, while a data recorder has confirmed that smoke alarms had been activated. (AFP)

Probable EgyptAir crash debris recovered on Israeli beach

Italian emergency workers have recovered 217 bodies from the wreck of a boat that sank in the Mediterranean in April 2015, killing some 500 migrants, the Navy said today. 
 
The sinking was one of the worst known disasters involving migrants trying to reach Europe by sea. Thousands of people a year, many of them fleeing war in the West Asia, have crossed the Mediterranean in unseaworthy or overcrowded boats. 
 
In 2015, at least 3,770 are thought to have died on Mediterranean routes, mostly by drowning when their boats capsized. 
 
The vessel was hauled off the seabed and taken to a naval site in southeastern Sicily last week. Its sinking about 135 km (85 miles) north of Libya, from where it departed, jolted the European Union into stepping up Mediterranean rescue efforts. 
 
Originally at least 700 were thought to have died in the disaster, based on survivor testimony. A Navy official said last week he thought some 300 bodies were still in the hold, which added to 169 recovered from the nearby seabed, would bring the death toll closer to 500. 
 
A team of 150 professionals and volunteers from the Navy, fire service, Italian Red Cross and a forensic team of Milan university professors have been working around the clock to remove bodies from the fishing boat and examine them. 
 
Autopsies have been carried out on 52 of the victims, and police scientists coordinated by a local public prosecutor have begun making reports on their findings. 
 
(Reuters)

The sinking, in which 500 people died, had been one of the worst known disasters involving migrants trying to reach Europe by ship

Italian emergency workers have recovered 217 bodies from the wreck of a boat that sank in the Mediterranean in April 2015, killing some 500 migrants, the Navy said today. The sinking was one of the worst known disasters involving migrants trying to reach Europe by sea. Thousands of people a year, many of them fleeing war in the West Asia, have crossed the Mediterranean in unseaworthy or overcrowded boats. In 2015, at least 3,770 are thought to have died on Mediterranean routes, mostly by drowning when their boats capsized. The vessel was hauled off the seabed and taken to a naval site in southeastern Sicily last week. Its sinking about 135 km (85 miles) north of Libya, from where it departed, jolted the European Union into stepping up Mediterranean rescue efforts. Originally at least 700 were thought to have died in the disaster, based on survivor testimony. A Navy official said last week he thought some 300 bodies were still in the hold, which added to 169 recovered from the nearby seabed, would bring the death toll closer to 500. A team of 150 professionals and volunteers from the Navy, fire service, Italian Red Cross and a forensic team of Milan university professors have been working around the clock to remove bodies from the fishing boat and examine them. Autopsies have been carried out on 52 of the victims, and police scientists coordinated by a local public prosecutor have begun making reports on their findings. (Reuters)

Italy recovers 217 bodies from 2015 shipwreck

Around 5,000 migrants were rescued from rubber dingies in the Mediterranean on Thursday, the Italian coastguard said, averting a potential high seas disaster. 
 
A coastguard spokesman pointed out it appeared many people had left the Libyan coast to attempt the perilous voyage across the sea to Europe during a spell of good weather. 
 
&quot;Around 5,000 people were saved in 43 rescue operations,&quot; the coastguard said in a statement. 
 
A body was found on board one of the rubber dinghies, a coastguard spokesman told AFP earlier. 
 
&quot;We registered a large number of voyages today, after several days of bad weather at sea had stopped people leaving Libya,&quot; the spokesman added. 
 
Most of the migrants were on the dinghies, while three wooden boats were being used by Libyan people traffickers, the coastguard said. 
 
The Italian navy also noted a mass movement of boats in the Mediterranean from &quot;the first light of dawn.&quot; 
 
Five Italian navy ships took part in the rescue operations, together with two vessels from the EU&#39;s Operation Sophia, which was set up to combat human smuggling in the Mediterranean, and another four from humanitarian organisations. 
 
More than 10,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean to Europe in overcrowded boats since 2014, according to UN figures published earlier this month. 
 
This year alone more than 50,000 migrants and asylum seekers from Africa have managed to complete the journey to Italy, a country that, like Greece, acts mainly as a gateway to northern Europe for most of the newcomers. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

More than 10,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean to Europe in overcrowded boats since 2014, according to UN figures

Around 5,000 migrants were rescued from rubber dingies in the Mediterranean on Thursday, the Italian coastguard said, averting a potential high seas disaster. A coastguard spokesman pointed out it appeared many people had left the Libyan coast to attempt the perilous voyage across the sea to Europe during a spell of good weather. "Around 5,000 people were saved in 43 rescue operations," the coastguard said in a statement. A body was found on board one of the rubber dinghies, a coastguard spokesman told AFP earlier. "We registered a large number of voyages today, after several days of bad weather at sea had stopped people leaving Libya," the spokesman added. Most of the migrants were on the dinghies, while three wooden boats were being used by Libyan people traffickers, the coastguard said. The Italian navy also noted a mass movement of boats in the Mediterranean from "the first light of dawn." Five Italian navy ships took part in the rescue operations, together with two vessels from the EU's Operation Sophia, which was set up to combat human smuggling in the Mediterranean, and another four from humanitarian organisations. More than 10,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean to Europe in overcrowded boats since 2014, according to UN figures published earlier this month. This year alone more than 50,000 migrants and asylum seekers from Africa have managed to complete the journey to Italy, a country that, like Greece, acts mainly as a gateway to northern Europe for most of the newcomers. (AFP)

5,000 migrants rescued from rubber dingies in Mediterranean

Greek rescue teams rescued hundreds of migrants from a sinking ship in a massive operation in the southern Mediterranean off the island of Crete today, the Greek coastguard said. Three bodies have been recovered so far.&nbsp; 
 
The search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area, about 75 nautical miles off southern Crete in the territory which falls under Egypt&#39;s jurisdiction. 
 
In total, 302 people were rescued by mid-morning, Greek authorities said. There was no immediate information on the nationalities of the migrants or on the victims. 
 
Greek media said the wooden boat the migrants were sailing in started taking in water. It was not immediately clear where the boat had sailed from. 
 
Hundreds of thousands of mainly Syrian refugees crossed the sea corridor from Turkey to Greece last year in small inflatable boats, but that route was effectively sealed after an EU-Turkey clampdown of illegal migration out of Turkey&nbsp;in March. 
 
Now, warm weather and calmer seas in the Mediterranean have led to a surge in the number of people trying to go to Italy from Libya, where people-smugglers operate with relative impunity. 
 
Boats on journey like this risk being blown off course to islands like Crete. Friday&#39;s incident was the third in a week involving migrant landings on the island.

Three bodies have been recovered so far by the Greek rescue teams south of the island of Crete

Greek rescue teams rescued hundreds of migrants from a sinking ship in a massive operation in the southern Mediterranean off the island of Crete today, the Greek coastguard said. Three bodies have been recovered so far. The search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area, about 75 nautical miles off southern Crete in the territory which falls under Egypt's jurisdiction. In total, 302 people were rescued by mid-morning, Greek authorities said. There was no immediate information on the nationalities of the migrants or on the victims. Greek media said the wooden boat the migrants were sailing in started taking in water. It was not immediately clear where the boat had sailed from. Hundreds of thousands of mainly Syrian refugees crossed the sea corridor from Turkey to Greece last year in small inflatable boats, but that route was effectively sealed after an EU-Turkey clampdown of illegal migration out of Turkey in March. Now, warm weather and calmer seas in the Mediterranean have led to a surge in the number of people trying to go to Italy from Libya, where people-smugglers operate with relative impunity. Boats on journey like this risk being blown off course to islands like Crete. Friday's incident was the third in a week involving migrant landings on the island.

Greece rescues hundreds as migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean

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