366 migrants rescued from boats in Mediterranean

Italy: At least 20 people were reported to have drown and another 366 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean sea to Italy in rickety boats rescued by rescuers on Friday said Italian police.

The 366 survivors, who were rescued in four separate operations, were packed in three rubber dinghies and a wooden fishing boat.

The migrants were all taken to the Augusta Sicilian port where they were been questioned by the Italian police unit Interforce, which combats illegal immigration.

Antonio Panzanaro, an Interforce official, said Norwegian ship Siem Pilot came to the aid of one dinghy that sank in the Sicilian Channel, but many of the migrants were already drowned when it arrived.

He said one corpse was recovered but survivors said that at least 20 people had drowned before the ship arrived.

82 women and 25 children were among the 366 people rescued, he said.

Survivors includes Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Bangladesh nationals.

Panzanaro said seven people were arrested from the four boats, including their drivers, on suspicion of people-trafficking.