Immigrant ship rescued off Italy

The Italian navy has rescued nearly 700 illegal immigrants after the ship in which they were travelling got into difficulties near the southern port of Crotone.

Regional port authorities said the ship called for help because it was taking on water, and that the situation was now under control.

An Italian navy warship pulled alongside the unregistered merchant ship, the Ammoil, and sent doctors on board to examine the passengers, who were mostly in reasonable condition.

Navy mechanics also boarded the ship to inspect the engine room and, having declared it unseaworthy, transferred the immigrants onto the warship to take them to Crotone.

Massive problem

Eight passengers in poor health, including three children, were taken to shore in a smaller, faster boat.

The immigrants rescued are reported to be mostly Kurds, Turks and Iraqis.

According to official figures, over 77,000 people have been caught trying to enter Italy illegally by sea in the past decade.

Another 15,000 were arrested at the land border with Slovenia last year alone.

Italy fixes an annual quota for immigrants to make up shortfalls in the country's workforce.

The country has one of the lowest numbers of legal immigrants in Europe, at 2.5% of the population.