Italian coastguards rescue 3,500 immigrants off the Libyan coast

The Italian coast guard said it coordinated the rescue of 3,500 migrants Sunday from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya as they attempted the perilous crossing from Africa to Europe.
The rescues were conducted by coast guard and Italian navy vessels, as well as ships from humanitarian organizations and the European Union border agency. The Italian coast guard said on Twitter that the ships conducted 27 separate search-and-rescue operations.
The migrants were picked up less than 35 miles from the Libyan coast, Agence France-Presse reported.
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