DHAKA: Italian coastguards have reached a small boat packed with migrants adrift off the coast of southern Italy.

They say around 120 Syrian migrants were picked up from the vessel, which had encountered rough seas, reports the BBC.

Large waves and gales meant that for 24 hours, coastguard and naval craft had only been able to shadow the vessel.

In October, hundreds of migrants drowned in two shipwrecks near the Italian island of Lampedusa.

The boat was spotted on Sunday after a satellite phone call from an Egyptian national on board, media reports.

The protracted operation was carried out in waters south of the province of Calabria.

Two rescue speed boats were eventually able to move in and pick up the exhausted passengers, many women and children among them.

They were then transferred to a larger coastguard vessel which was to take them to the Italian mainland.

Those on board the boat were following a route that brings thousands of African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to what they hope will be better lives in Europe.

But they often attempt the journey in dangerous and unseaworthy boats, and hundreds of people died in two disastrous incidents in October.

BDST: 2011 HRS, DEC 02, 2013