The Italian
and Greek navies have rescued hundreds of people from the waters off their
respective coasts. Each year thousands seek to enter the European Union through
the two southern member states.
The Italian navy said on Thursday that one of its destroyers, the San Marco, had plucked 233 people from a 10-meter-long (33 foot) boat that had been struggling in strong winds and choppy waters about 80 nautical miles (130 kilometers) from the country's southern-most island, Lampedusa.
"Considering
the rough seas, the overcrowded boat and the precarious conditions, a situation
of emergency was declared," a statement released by the Italian navy said.
The
passengers, who reportedly came from Eritrea, Nigeria, Somalia, Zambia, Mali
and Pakistan, were then brought to a frigate, which was ferrying them to the
port of Augusta on the east coast of Sicily.
A navy
spokesperson said that the migrants were generally in good health, despite
having suffered from prolonged exposure to cold.
Italy
recently launched a major naval operation in the Mediterranean dubbed
"Mare Nostrum," which is aimed at preventing further tragedies like
two shipwrecks last October in which more than 400 people died.
Aegean
rescue
Also on
Thursday, the Greek coast guard rescued 85 people from a boat trying to reach
the EU member state from Turkey via the Aegean Sea. They were picked up off the
Greek island of Astypalaia after the captain of the vessel they were travelling
in sent out a distress call after getting into trouble in rough waters.
Every year,
thousands of people, mainly from Africa or the Middle East seek to enter the
European Union through Italy or Greece by crossing the seas in what are often
less-than-seaworthy vessels. Those who do make it risk being sent back unless
they are deemed eligible for asylum.
pfd/se (AFP, AP, dpa)
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