(VOVworld) – Italian authorities said on Monday that the Italian navy has rescued more than 2,600 boat migrants attempting to land at night on Sicily’s southern coast. Seven boats carrying migrants and asylum seekers, mainly from Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Algeria were intercepted. The Italian navy has been conducting more regular patrol and rescue activities in an attempt to prevent the sinking of boats carrying illegal immigrants.

A rescuer helps a woman to disembarks from the Italian military ship Chimera with around 350 would be immigrants arrives on June 30, 2014

Italy has become a gateway for illegal immigrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East who want to seek a better life in Europe. 43,000 people arrived last year. Italy’s Interior Ministry said that the figure has rocketed to 68,000 people since the beginning of this year.