The Italian navy said Thursday it was taking 443 migrants to the Sicilian port of Augusta after picking them up during sea patrols on the Mediterranean, dpa reported. The navy said two pregnant women and 124 children, including 10 babies, were among the rescued passengers. Last week, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told parliament that about 40,000 migrants had reached Italian shores in the first five months of the year - a record number. He said "the migratory trend is on the increase."
