Italy - Cargo with hundreds of Syrian refugees docked in Gallipoli

ANSAmed
Vessel seized, suspected human-trafficker arrestedGallipoli (Lecce) - A cargo ship carrying 970 migrants, most of them from war-torn Syria and including some 40 children and 20 pregnant women, arrived early Wednesday in the southern Italian port of Gallipoli, authorities said.

One man was taken into custody on suspicion of human smuggling when the cargo ship Blue Sky M arrived. Authorities released no information about his nationality or identity.

Italian Coast Guard officials were dropped by an Air Force helicopter on to the Moldovan-flagged ship Tuesday afternoon after it sent distress signals from somewhere near the Greek island of Corfu. Initial reports suggested armed men were on board but none were found and some media later reported the distress signals instead related to engine problems.

Meanwhile, Red Cross officials were on hand Wednesday morning to help the migrants, and about 130 were sent to southern Italian hospitals in the Lecce region for care.

Police did not find any weapons on board, but they seized

Hundreds of Migrants Rescued Off Italy

Voice of America
The Italian coast guard has rescued more than 700 people in the last two days from boats carrying migrants and refugees.

Italian Coast Guard officers, holiday-goers help migrants off
boat near Siracusa, Aug. 15, 2013

Italian officials say four vessels got into difficulty in waters near Sicily. People from Syria, Egypt, Eritrea, Nigeria and Ghana were rescued.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported Saturday that more than 207 people were taken to the island of Lampedusa after their rescue by the coast guard and navy. Among them were two women in the late stages of pregnancy.

Another boat with 212 people aboard was being towed to Lampedusa. Two other broken-down boats carrying 293 people were taken to Augusta on Sicily's eastern coast.

Violence in Syria and Egypt this year has spurred an increased number of refugees attempting to reach Italy.

Thousands of people have tried to make the hazardous crossing from North Africa to Italy or Malta in open boats in recent years. Many have perished during the voyage.

Italy has urged other European Union countries to do more to share the burden of housing the migrants.