Nearly 1,500 immigrants en route to dock in Italy in one day

(ANSA) - Rome, July 16 - Italian navy vessels on Thursday were transporting nearly 1,500 immigrants rescued in various operations and now en route for the ports of Vibo Valentia in Calabria and Augusta in Sicily, with arrival expected Thursday evening.
    The Italian navy vessel Dattilo is transporting 835 immigrants to the port of Vibo Valentia, where the local prefect has already conducted an operational briefing for health professionals, law enforcement, and volunteers who will be on hand to assist at the landing.
    In Sicily, authorities at the port of Augusta are expecting the vessel Chimera to dock in early evening with 579 immigrants rescued from two different boats.
    In Siracusa, meanwhile, law enforcement has identified three suspected human traffickers from Egypt who were allegedly at the helm of a motorboat carrying 335 migrants that was intercepted 138 miles from the port of Augusta on Wednesday.
    Those migrants were brought to the port of Augusta on Wednesday by the Bahamian vehicle-carrying ship Hermes Leader, accompanied by two Coast Guard vessels.