The Italian coast guard said Saturday it had rescued more than 700 migrants and refugees, including many Syrians and Egyptians, from four struggling boats, the latest in a surge of refugee arrivals.

There were also Nigerians among them. But their number was not stated.

Coast guard and navy vessels rescued the migrants from troubled boats off the coast of Sicily on Friday and Saturday, rushing four of them — a mother, father and their two young children — to hospital for emergency care, the coast guard said.

One broken-down boat was carrying 207 migrants from Nigeria, Ghana and Eritrea, including six children and two women in the late stages of pregnancy.

Another boat was carrying 212 migrants including eight children and was being towed toward the tiny island of Lampedusa, Italy’s southernmost point. The coast guard did not say where the passengers were from.

Two other boats carrying a total of 293 Syrians and Egyptians were brought Friday to Augusta, on the eastern coast of Sicily.

The number of refugees trying to reach Italy in dinghies and other boats has increased in recent months because of surging violence in Syria and Egypt and calm summer weather that has tempted many to try their luck on the seas.

The Italian interior ministry says 3,000 Syrians arrived in Italy from the beginning of the year to the end of August, mostly arriving by boat in eastern Sicily.

Last week, on 27 August 10 Nigerians were among the 81 African migrants from a large dinghy that was adrift and sinking some 18 nautical miles from the island of Malta. They were all rescued.
http://.mobi/output.php?id=11747

Nigerians taking advantage of any scene

Nigeria and bad news...
Make i go church come back Jare

nigeria don tire evry body shaaa.....hmmm just strollingg....

the nigerians black ass will be deported after the crisis, no asylum, sometime one need to be ashamed of some things

They're lucky 2 hv been rescued. They 4 regret d movement.

good news..atleast they will come back home safely...

Nigerians everywhere you go.
Nawa o...

naija always doin wat they knw hw to do best

Nigerian mass media needs to do a documentary on this. Am sure our sisters in Benin are watching.

Going to Europe by sea is dangerous.

Nigerians are everywhere

Must we travel out this country to make life? Money don't grow on trees in abroad. You work for it.

sanandreas: Must we travel out this country to make life? Money don't grow on trees in abroad. You work for it.

Just like crude oil don't grow on trees the white men drill it..

Won't be surprised if Nigerians are found at Bermuda Triangle. We are on "Operation Occupy Planet Earth"

it is not their fault, they are only trying to survive. the government, family, society, friends, and the church have failed them!!! you guys should not mock someone's misfortune.

Am on my way2 libya. Cnt get deter ovr such fear.

Aggrippa: it is not their fault, they are only trying to survive. the government, family, society, friends, and the church have failed them!!! you guys should not mock someone's misfortune.

Things hard 4 this obodo Nigeria no bi small

Enegod: good news..atleast they will come back home safely...

Which home?

Nigerians are cowards. Rather than fight for their freedom, they keep running all over the place. If those Europeans had run away would they have a country to call their own?

It's Dejavu

martyns303: "Operation Occupy Planet Earth"

Occupy till I come

When they get there they will start doing dirty businesses and tarnish our image in Europe. God help Nigeria.

Then Nigerians complain when a foreigner treats us badly

If I were Italian, i would impose strict laws on illegal migration and deport these Niggas to Africa

you wanna run, but you don't want to pay for it, then when they reach there they complain about taxes

Nigeria!!country with 7 letters word and have trillon of problem,may God help us.

I'm surprised OP said they are merely AMONG...I thought they ARE the 700 people cos dats mo realistik

Pls all I want to knw z dt re they mostly nigerians?

Why would they not risk their lives for a better tommorow when the govt is busy thinking of elections holding in 2015 now.

No jobs,No good roads,No light,No security,Poor educational system,Poor health care infrastructure and others too numerous to mention.

Basically what do we benefit from the Nigerian Govt?

Quality of life in Nigeria is zero.

skyfall: Nigerians are cowards. Rather than fight for their freedom, they keep running all over the place. If those Europeans had run away would they have a country to call their own?

Exactly! Real cowards.
Can u imagine. My gf just paid a visit to her long time friend from secondary sch. in d East. And the girl was busy boosting dat all her former boyfriends are overseas. Dat even d one she's wit now is planning on travelling out.

It really makes one to wonder what exactly they do when they get there. Is it dat there's readily available jobs over than here.

Well at least those Nigerians didn't try to sneak into Ghana. #NAIJAMUSTGO

What they don't realize is that Italians, especially in South Italy, are very severely racist. You see African workers waiting along streets to be picked up for "work" not realizing they'll be lucky to escape with their lives, never mind getting paid fairly for their work. They are treated as slaves. Italy is very corrupt and laws do not protect visaless foreigners or migrants (including those from Eastern Europe and Mid-East). They are hateful bigots

Source: I lived there for two years a while back.