Hundreds of Sub-Saharan Migrants Arrive On The Italian Coast

The African migrants were rescued near Libyan coasts and then transferred to a crude oil tanker, Okyroe.

Migrants at the port of Augusta on Monday. (Photo: AP screengrab)

A crude oil-tanker carrying 742 sub-Saharan migrants on-board arrived at the Sicilian port of Augusta, Italy on Monday.

The African migrants were rescued near the Libyan coast and then again transferred to a crude oil tanker, Okyroe. The migrants were again transferred to a tugboat before disembarking, as the tanker was too big to enter the Augusta port.

Among the rescued, were 70 women - four of them pregnant - and several children. After disembarking, the migrants were assisted by volunteers from the Italian Red Cross who carried out health checks.

So far in 2016, at least 335,800 people have reached Europe by sea, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The IOM says at least 3,650 migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean this year. (Inputs: AP)

Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim