Major migrant rescue operation under way

LONDON/ROME: British, Swedish, Spanish and Italian ships are currently en route to help about 10 migrant boats that called for assistance on Sunday, the Italian coast guard said, following the rescue of thousands of others in the Mediterranean this weekend.
The British warship HMS Bulwark launched a mission to rescue at least 500 migrants, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement. The MoD said a helicopter had identified four migrant vessels in distress.
Melissa Fleming, chief spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency, said on Twitter that up to 1,500 people were thought to be aboard the 10 boats. The coast guard would not speculate on the number.
On Saturday, 3,500 migrants were rescued from nine wooden boats and six rubber ones about 45 miles from the Libyan coast.