Italy saves 1,026 illegal immigrants in Mediterranean Sea

Italy says it has recovered a total of 1,026 illegal immigrants attempting to reach Europe from Africa in the Mediterranean Sea over the last 24 hours before Christmas.In a statement on Wednesday, Italy’s officials said the country’s navy carried out various operations in the Strait of Sicily in the last 24 hours to rescue the refugees. The navy also found five bodies belonging to immigrants who died trying to cross the Strait of Sicily.

A Maltese merchant ship brought one of the dead migrants to Italian navy's Etna vessel while a Cypriot motor boat transferred the other four to the Orione patrol boat.The Italian navy said Etna saved 363 survivors from the waters, the Orione rescued 440, and another vessel, named the Driade, saved another 223 migrants.

-MHB