DHAKA: About 2,700 migrants trying to reach Europe were pulled from rubber dinghies and other vessels near the coast of Libya on Wednesday, the Italian government said.

The migrants were rescued in 13 operations by Italian and German military ships, the Italian coast guard and a vessel operated by Doctors Without Borders, the government said. The Italian coast guard coordinated the efforts, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Italy has been overwhelmed in recent months by the daily arrivals of migrants, many of whom leave from the Libyan coast and head for the islands of Lampedusa or Sicily. As of the end of June, about 66,500 migrants had arrived in Italy by sea this year marking a slight increase from the same period last year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The sea crossing has often turned deadly in recent months with the worst accident happening in April when a ship sunk, killing about 800 people. The Italian Navy two weeks ago began an operation to recoup the bodies still trapped in and near the ship that settled on the seabed.

The migrants crossing the Mediterranean to reach Italy are part of a wider trend that has engulfed neighboring countries. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 137,000 migrants reached Italy, Greece, Spain and Malta by land and sea in the first six months of the year.

BDST: 1150  HRS, JULY 16, 2015
RS