Armed Forces of Malta personnel are currently assisting the Italian coastguard in a rescue involving hundreds of migrants on 12 boats which are some 100 miles south of Lampedusa.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted:
‘#Malta @Armed_Forces_MT working with #Italy authorities in major joint operation rescuing migrants on numerous boats leaving from #Libya.’
The Italian coast guard said it had plucked more than 130 people from two rubber boats about 180 kilometres south of the island of Lampedusa so far, and was working to save eight more vessels.
"We are certainly at more than 1,000 migrants" involved in today's rescue operation, a spokesman for the coast guard in Rome told Reuters.
Assistance has also been provided to 40 people on board a dinghy just a few miles off Libya. This evening, Italian newws agency ANSA reported that when an Italian vessel approached the migrants, they were threatened by gunmen. It is not clear who they were or whether they were militia or IS supporters.
Better weather since last week has encouraged migrants to make the perilous journey from North Africa, where a breakdown of order in Libya has made it almost impossible to police the traffickers who pack people onto rickety boats.
More are said to be leaving Libya, which seems to be experiencing a mass exodus, according to Italian media.
ANSA says preliminary investigations show traffickers shot migrant in the leg
Some 300 migrants are also understood to be currently landing in Pozzallo after they were rescued in the Sicilian Channel. One of the migrants - who was among the 300 migrants from Central Africa - was found to be suffering from a gunshot wound. ANSA news agency today said that preliminary investigations established so far show traffickers shot him in the leg to force him aboard the vessel.
An AFM spokesman told this newsroom that at this stage, both the AFM and the Italian authorities are working hand in hand to save the lives of the migrants. Until now, the spokesman added, there is no information that any migrants would be brought to Malta. Momentarily, an AFM offshore vessel is in the area.
The Italian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel Michele Fiorillo is also on site along with a number of merchant vessels and tug boats.