ROME (AP) — Two Italian ports are facing an influx of hundreds of migrants. A charity ship sailed Saturday toward a Sicilian port with 236 people rescued in the Mediterranean from traffickers’ boats. The Italian coast guard and border police, meanwhile, brought 532 other rescued migrants to a tiny island. Maritime rescue group SOS Mediterranee said a ship it operates, the Ocean Viking, pulled the migrants to safety four days ago from two rubber dinghies, including 119 unaccompanied minors. On Italy’s Lampedusa island, which is closer to North Africa than to mainland Italy, the mayor said 532 migrants from four boats that needed rescue stepped ashore. Warmer weather in the spring often increases the number of vessels launched toward Europe by Libya-based migrant traffickers.
Over 800 migrants rescued at sea head to Italy
