The migrants, including 55 women, some of whom were pregnant, and 40 children were rescued on Saturday (June 4) and brought safely to the Calabrian port of Vibo Valentia.
"There seems to be no stopping the flood of migrants trying to reach Europe despite NGO's (non-governmental organisations) warning that an estimated 1,000 people are believed to have drowned in the last week whilst trying to make the crossing."
According to Italian authorities the majority of the migrants were from Egypt, Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea and they boarded the boat in Alexandria, Egypt, a few days ago.
Migrants are crammed into wooden boats or dinghies and most of them have no experience of the sea or how to manoeuvre boats and many cannot swim.
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