(ROME) -- Italian officials have rescued more than 1500
people fleeing war in overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean Sea just off the
southern coast of Italy.
As many as 25 children were in the 13 boats packed with
hundreds of migrants trying to make it to Europe from Syria, Somalia and other
war-torn countries.
The latest rescue puts the number of migrants intercepted
in the last two days at well above 2,000 -- unusual for this time of year, when
weather conditions are poor and few people embark on the dangerous crossing.
Authorities have arrested eight Egyptian men for human
trafficking. The men are allegedly involved in a ring that transports migrants
in large boats off the coast of North Africa and then transfers them into
small, rickety boats for the remainder of the journey.
Tens of thousands of people have drowned risking the
crossing.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio
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