Thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea are rescued following reports of sinking vessels carrying asylum seekers coming from Africa. 282 people were picked up from six small vessels by US navy ships near Malta.

Thousands more from three separate boats were rescued earlier in the day by Italian coastguard vessels off the coast of Lampedusa. On Friday, the Italian navy picked up another 2500 asylum-seekers from 17 boats. Most of the migrants and asylum seekers to Europe come from Eritrea or Syria. Some also come from other African countries headed for other destinations. Sixty migrants from Ethiopia and Somalia drowned just days ago off the coast of Yemen. Most migrants are packed into unseaworthy boats that sometimes take weeks to make the dangerous voyages.

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