More than 500 migrants were rescued off Italy's coast in three operations conducted over the weekend, the Italian Navy said Monday according to dpa. A navy vessel late Sunday picked up 202 people who said they were from Syria, the Palestinian territories, Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon, Liberia, Nigeria, Yemen and Pakistan, the navy said. A passing cargo ship was asked by Italy's coast guard Sunday to intercept another boat in distress that was carrying 97 migrants, the navy said. No details were given about their nationalities. Both groups of rescued migrants were due to land in Sicily Monday.
