Coastguard rescues more migrants off Italy's coast

More than 1,300 migrants have been brought safely into Italian ports after the three boats they were on experienced difficulties off the country's south coast.

The latest rescue operations come two weeks after at least 74 people died when their boat struck rocks near the coast, a tragedy that has brought severe criticism of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, for failing to act in time to save migrants in distress.

An official investigation has begun into whether Italian authorities should have done more to prevent the Feb 26 disaster, reported Reuters.

Italy's navy and coastguard issued a statement saying they received distress calls on Friday from three vessels, and rushed to help.

"The rescues (were) complex due to the boats being overloaded with migrants and the unfavorable sea conditions," the coastguard said in a statement.

Video images showed large fishing boats rolling in rough seas with many people huddled together on their decks.

Sea Watch International, a German organization that operates migrant rescue boats, described the situation in the Mediterranean Sea as "absolutely chaotic", Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

"We really don't want to blame the Italian coast guard because in the last couple of days they did quite an amazing job, but it's also obvious it's absolutely overwhelming," said spokesperson Felix Weiss.

On Saturday, thousands marched in the streets of Cutro, in the southern province of Crotone, near the site of the Feb 26 shipwreck, to remember the victims and to call for the government to do more to prevent such tragedies, reported the Agence France-Presse news service.

Domenico Lucano, a former mayor of the southern city of Calabria, told ANSA news agency that "during these emergencies, Calabrian communities are shaken, and what prevails is a spirit of solidarity that the government doesn't show".

There has been a surge in the number of migrants that have completed the dangerous sea journey to Italy this year, from both North Africa and Turkiye.

Government data says more than 17,500 people have arrived by sea in the first 10 weeks of this year, almost three times the number for the same period last year. The United Nations estimates 300 migrants have perished in the Mediterranean Sea so far this year.

Meloni's conservative government, which came into office last October, had promised to reduce the fl ow of migrants this year. The prime minister last week introduced plans that may see people smugglers receive extended prison terms, after she and her Cabinet visited the site near the Feb 26 shipwreck.

She said that Italy would act against those who organized the treacherous crossings, adding that more improved and legal routes had to be opened up to allow migrants to safely reach the country, reported the BBC.

"Our response to what happened is a policy of greater firmness on the ground," said Meloni. "I believe that another way to fight people smugglers is to send out the message that it does not pay to enter Italy illegally."