Several boats carrying a total of 400 would-be immigrants on Thursday were spotted off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, the Ansa news agency was quoted by dpa. In the afternoon the coast guard approached a 15-metre long boat carrying some 300 people and brought them ashore. More than 100 would-be immigrants, travelling on another two boats, were also brought ashore. On Tuesday, Italian military pilots had found 14 dead would-be immigrants in the Sea. They were thought to have arrived from northern Africa on a dinghy, which capsized on Friday in Maltese territorial waters. Survivors said numerous passengers had been missing.
