More than 2,600 migrants rescued off Italy's shores in 72 hours

Some 2,655 migrants have been rescued in the
Mediterranean Sea since the weekend, Italian authorities said Monday, according to dpa.
The Italian navy, which coordinates the maritime search-and-rescue
Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) operation, said 261 were picked up on
Saturday; 1,557 on Sunday; and 837 on Monday.
Italy has faced an unprecedented inflow of migrants travelling in
often overcrowded rafts since the start of the year. It is calling on
the European Union for more help in dealing with the situation.
As of Friday, the government said that just under 66,500 had landed
on the country's shores, against a previous all-time yearly record of
63,000 recorded in 2011.