More than 3,300 migrants rescued in Med Friday, 17 dead: coastguard

ROME: The Italian coastguard said it had coordinated the rescue of more than 3,300 migrants sailing across the Mediterranean Sea on Friday, but also found 17 corpses on several of the rickety boats, AFP reports.

Distress calls were made from 17 boats, and several other rescue operations were still underway late Friday evening.

The 17 bodies were found on three inflatable dinghies, from which more than 300 other migrants were rescued alive, the Italian navy said on Twitter.