(ANSA) - ROME, MARCH 11 - The Coast Guard has rescued over 1,200 migrants in the last few hours.
Rescues are still underway coordinated by the National Maritime Rescue Center of the Coast Guard of the two boats intercepted yesterday over 100 miles "beaming the coast of Roccella Ionica", in Italian Sar waters.
The rescue, made complex due to overloaded migrant boats and unfavorable marine weather conditions, is concluding in these hours.
The Coast Guard ship Dattilo coordinated the operations at sea, which recovered all 500 migrants present on one of the two boats;
a patrol boat from the Guardia di Finanza also provided support to the Coast Guard ship.
The 379 people aboard the second boat have already been rescued by two Coast Guard SAR patrol boats and then transferred aboard the Sirio ship of the Navy which is heading to Augusta.
The boat intercepted yesterday about 60 miles abeam of Crotone was instead rescued during the night by two Sar patrol boats of the Coast Guard and a vehicle of the Guardia di Finanza.
The 487 migrants were all rescued and disembarked in the port of Crotone around 3 this night.
(HANDLE).