Lampedusa migrant crisis: Sicily declares emergency
The governor of Sicily has declared a state of emergency because of the large numbers of migrants it is having to deal with.
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The Italian navy says it has rescued almost 300 migrants from two boats near the island of Lampedusa in the waters between Libya and Sicily.
The first, about 60 miles (100km) to the south of the island, was carrying 80 migrants, a navy statement said.
The second, said to be at danger of sinking was carrying 210 people.
It was 45 miles from the island.
The latest rescues come a day after Italy announced increased patrols following the deaths of hundreds of migrants sailing in overcrowded boats.
The migrants were all being transferred to Lampedusa, the navy said.
On Friday, at least 33 people died when their boat capsized between Malta and Lampedusa.
A week earlier, more than 350 migrants died in another shipwreck off the island, one of the deadliest such incidents in recent years.
Italy has previously called for EU help in dealing with the thousands of desperate migrants who wash up on its beaches every year.
Many are families fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East who hope for a better life in Europe.
'Huge effort'
The recent loss of life has led to further calls for EU action.
On Monday, Italian Defence Minister Mario Mauro said the country intended to triple its presence in the southern Mediterranean.
"We need strong action to stop these shipwrecks," he told Italian newspaper Avvenire.
In addition to coastguard and border police vessels, the Italian navy currently has three ships supported by four helicopters patrolling the area. It can also call on two surveillance aircraft with night-vision capabilities.
A spokesman for the UN refugee agency in Lampedusa told the BBC on Monday that Italy was also planning to increase its capacity for receiving migrants from 8,000 to 16,000.
"[Migrants] should be transferred to the mainland, to the proper reception system. It's a huge effort [Italy] is making... the reception capability will be raised starting from next January," Maurizio Molina said.
According to the UN, some 32,000 migrants have arrived in Malta and Italy this year.
Source: BBC