Some 3,000 migrants on 18 vessels appear to be in distress off the Libyan coast, Italian media report.

The 18 vessels are made up of four large boats and 14 dinghies, the reports say.

They have all requested the assistance of Italian authorities stationed in the Sicily channel.

Two Italian Coastal Guard vessels have been despatched to the area, together with a Norwegian ship and other Italian military vessels.

A spokesman for the Armed Forces of Malta said no AFM assets are in the area in question. The Maltese army has however offered its assistance to the operation, whichis being coordinated from Rome.