Around 3,000 migrants were rescued in the Mediterranean

News24xx.com - Around 3,000 migrants were rescued in the Mediterranean on Saturday May 6 2017 as they tried to reach Europe.

The people were picked up in more than 20 separate rescue operations involving the Italian coast guard and navy, the EU's EUNAVFOR mission in the Mediterranean, European Union border agency Frontex, NGOs and merchant ships.

The coast guard gave no details of the nationality of those rescued.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, so far this year 43,490 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea as of April 26. More than 1,000 have died or are missing.

Last month more than 8,500 migrants were rescued in the Mediterranean in the space of three days over Easter.

The latest massive operation is an indication that the flow of migrants from the coast of Libya is showing no sign of slowing down.

Politicians in Italy are calling for stiffer measures to tackle people smuggling and there are some suggestions that the those involved in the trade have intensified their efforts ahead of a bolstering of the Libyan coast guard.

Should the flow continue at the current rate, it is anticipated that 2017 will set a new record for the number of migrants reaching Italy, exceeding last year when 181,000 people were rescued and brought ashore.