Another 3,000 migrants rescued off Libya, says Italy

The total number of migrants saved by the Italian coastguard has risen to 5,600 in a 48 hour period

Another 3,000 migrants were rescued from stricken boats in waters off Libya today, the Italian coastguard said, lifting the total saved in the space of 48 hours to 5,600.

The latest rescues, involving 23 different operations, will take to more than 37,000 the total number of people taken to southern Italian ports since the start of the year.

Coastguard boats, vessels from the EU's naval operation EUNAVFOR Med and its border agency Frontex, a boat from NGO SOS Mediterranee and two tug boats from an offshore oil platform were all involved in the rescue operations.

Every search and rescue asset in the area was deployed, the coastguard said.

No breakdown of the nationalities of the people rescued was immediately available.

The overwhelming majority of those arriving in Italy so far this year have been from sub-Saharan Africa, and officials say there is no sign yet of Middle Eastern refugees switching to the Libyan route to Europe en masse following moves to restrict access from Turkey via the Greek islands.