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The migrants sent out a distress call by satellite phone on
Friday and were being taken to ports in Sicily, the coast guard
added, without giving details of their nationalities.
Refugees and migrants from the Middle East and Africa regularly
risk the hazardous journey between Libya and Sicily to reach the
European Union.
Around 3,500 are estimated to have drowned last year when more
than 170,000 migrants managed to reach Italy by sea.
At least 480 migrants lost their lives in the Mediterranean
during the first three months of this year, compared with fewer
than 50 fatalities during the same period last year, the
International Organisation for Migration said on Friday.
Three vessels from Italy's navy and coast guard and three
merchant ships took part in Friday's rescue mission about 30
miles from Libya's coast, according to the coast guard
statement.
Around 1,500 people were picked up from five boats near the
Libyan coast last week.
(Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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