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Over 100 children were aboard two
migrant boats assisted late Monday by the Italian Navy south of
Sicily's Capo Passero.
Rescue operations were halted due to bad weather conditions
and resumed on Tuesday, Navy officials said.
The Navy said a helicopter from its Grecale frigate
detected two wooden boats carrying the migrants. One of the
boats was being towed by the other.
Navy officials handed lifesavers to passengers and started
transferring migrants aboard the Grecale and the Foscari patrol
vessel.
The rescue operations were conducted with assistance from
some merchant ships in the area, the Navy said in a statement.
Women and children were transferred first before the
operation was temporarily suspended.
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