128 ILLEGAL AFRICAN MIGRANTS RESCUED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

A US warship has rescued 128 African migrants from an inflatable raft that was threatening to capsize in rough seas in the Mediterranean after a request from Malta, officials said Thursday. The USS San Antonio, which is equipped with an amphibious transport dock that can help in rescue operations, was scrambled on Wednesday after a Maltese military aircraft spotted the dinghy.

The Maltese military said the migrants were mostly Gambian even though they had earlier said they were from Somalia. They were later transferred onto two patrol boats and taken to Malta. The others were from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Malta said they were rescued around 75 nautical miles southwest of the Mediterranean island state. Italy this week launched a stepped-up navy patrol operation in the Mediterranean to scare off people smugglers and put pressure on Europe for further assistance amid a growing influx of refugees.

The Maltese military said the migrants were mostly Gambian even though they had earlier said they were from Somalia. They were later transferred onto two patrol boats and taken to Malta.
The others were from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Malta said they were rescued around 75 nautical miles southwest of the Mediterranean island state.
Italy this week launched a stepped-up navy patrol operation in the Mediterranean to scare off people smugglers and put pressure on Europe for further assistance amid a growing influx of refugees.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/us-navy-rescues128-african-migrants-from-mali-nigeria-senegal-in-rough-seas/#sthash.q2gfUK0q.dpuf

The Maltese military said the migrants were mostly Gambian even though they had earlier said they were from Somalia. They were later transferred onto two patrol boats and taken to Malta.
The others were from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Malta said they were rescued around 75 nautical miles southwest of the Mediterranean island state.
Italy this week launched a stepped-up navy patrol operation in the Mediterranean to scare off people smugglers and put pressure on Europe for further assistance amid a growing influx of refugees.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/us-navy-rescues128-african-migrants-from-mali-nigeria-senegal-in-rough-seas/#sthash.q2gfUK0q.dpuf

The Maltese military said the migrants were mostly Gambian even though they had earlier said they were from Somalia. They were later transferred onto two patrol boats and taken to Malta.
The others were from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Malta said they were rescued around 75 nautical miles southwest of the Mediterranean island state.
Italy this week launched a stepped-up navy patrol operation in the Mediterranean to scare off people smugglers and put pressure on Europe for further assistance amid a growing influx of refugees.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/us-navy-rescues128-african-migrants-from-mali-nigeria-senegal-in-rough-seas/#sthash.q2gfUK0q.dpuf

The Maltese military said the migrants were mostly Gambian even though they had earlier said they were from Somalia. They were later transferred onto two patrol boats and taken to Malta.
The others were from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Malta said they were rescued around 75 nautical miles southwest of the Mediterranean island state.
Italy this week launched a stepped-up navy patrol operation in the Mediterranean to scare off people smugglers and put pressure on Europe for further assistance amid a growing influx of refugees.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/us-navy-rescues128-african-migrants-from-mali-nigeria-senegal-in-rough-seas/#sthash.q2gfUK0q.dpuf