According to the source, all the operations occurred on Wednesday and people were traveling on three different boats from North Africa with destination to Europe.
Two patrols of the Italy coast and a merchant ship rescued in Maltese waters 328 migrants. A ship of the Navy of France helped other 297--including 51 women and a child--, while an Italian vessel helped to rescue 288 and recovered a dead body still unidentified.
According to estimates of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the number of migrants arriving to coasts of the continent until the first week of May reached up to 35 thousand 500.
The fact tripped the alarm in the European Union, that has taken controversial measures as strengthening the border guard and promoting a maritime military operation aimed for disabling the boats used to smuggle people. This action needs the approval of the United Nations.
Critical voices indicate that these actions are insufficient to resolve the migration and humanitarian crisis since they are only directed to prevent the arrival of outsiders to European soil.