Almost 300 migrants were rescued overnight off the coast of Sicily, dpa quoted Italian authorities as saying Tuesday. The coast guard said it intercepted one boat carrying 65 Egyptians and another one with 217 Somalis and Eritreans. They were escorted to Portopalo di Capo Passero, a small seaside town on Sicily's south-eastern tip. Several dozens escaped as soon as they arrived onshore, and police are searching for them. Under Italian law, people who do not have grounds to claim asylum have to be repatriated. Authorities said they believed the boats sailed from Libya. The North African nation is facing demands from Italy and Malta to stem the flow of migrants.
