Some 233 migrants were rescued at sea by the Italian navy in the early hours of Tuesday morning (August 20) bringing the total of migrants rescued over the last two days to well over 600.

The navy vessel Foscari rescued the migrants which included women and children, from an overcrowded vessel about 50 miles off the coast of Lampedusa. The exhausted people were transferred at sea from their boat onto a navy dingy, before being escorted onto the main navy vessel.

Over 300 migrants, including a new-born baby, were rescued by the coastguard off the Sicilian coastline near Agrigento overnight. A further 110 people believed to be of Syrian and Pakistani origin were also rescued off the Sicilian coastline.

At least 7,800 migrants have arrived in Italy in the first half of 2013.

Presented by Adam Justice