The Italian coastguard released a video showing thousands of migrants being rescued from ramshackle boats trying to cross the Sicilian strait towards the Italian mainland.

The rescue, on Sunday, came after migrants were seen waving to coastguard planes and boats as they sat perilously in overcrowded vessels.

The coastguard provided life jackets to those onboard the boats before transferring them at sea to larger vessels.

A spokesman for the Italian coastguard said 5,629 people were rescued from 22 different vessels in the three days between April 10 and 12.

Italy was working to save another 2,500 late yesterday.

Vessels and aircraft from the Italian coast guard and navy as well as merchant ships and an Icelandic patrol boat assigned to the European Triton border protection operation were involved.

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