More than 300 migrants - most of them believed to be Syrians - have been rescued from two overcrowded boats off Sicily.
One craft was carrying 191 people and the other about 150. Both vessels were taken to Syracuse
The BBC reports thousands of people have made the hazardous crossing from North Africa to Italy or Malta in open boats this summer.
Malta rescued 102 men and 13 women from a dinghy late on Tuesday. It was the second boatload of migrants to arrive there in 24 hours.
Earlier 84 migrants were picked up from another dinghy off Malta.
