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4,000 migrants rescued at sea in four days

Published:Friday | March 21, 2014 | 12:00 AM
This handout photo made available by the Hellenic Coast Guard on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, shows a coast guard vessel retrieving a boat after bodies were discovered, near the island of Lesvos, northeastern Greece. - ap

ROME (AP):

Italian authorities say they have rescued more than 4,000 would-be migrants at sea over the past four days as the war in Syria and instability in Libya spawn new waves of refugees.

The numbers of migrants reaching Italian shores gene-rally rise as warm weather and calm seas make the Mediterranean Sea crossing from North Africa easier. But the UN refugee agency says the 2014 numbers represent a 300 per cent increase over the same period in 2013.

Maritime officials said 2,922 were picked up March 17-18, and another 1,165 in the two days ending yesterday.

Italy beefed up its air and sea surveillance of the smuggling route after a boat capsised last October off the island of Lampedusa, killing more than 360 people.

Approximately 43,000 migrants arrived by sea in 2013.