Royal Navy sailors rescued another 900 desperate migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean - and dropped them off in Italy.

A total of 914 migrants were picked up from overcrowded boats by Royal Marines and sailors as smuggling gangs took advantage of calm seas over the weekend.

Two of Britain's Merlin helicopters identified three 'vessels in distress' early on Saturday.

315 of those fleeing Libya were picked up by Bulwark directly and the remainder were transferred from other foreign vessels for the large ship to take to Italy.

A total of 914 migrants were picked up from overcrowded boats by Royal Marines and sailors as smuggling gangs took advantage of calm seas over the weekend

A member of the Royal Navy attends to the migrants before they were later dropped off at the southern Italian city of Taranto

They were then dropped off in Taranto, Italy, on Monday. Many of them will now continue their journey to Northern Europe.

Some of them will likely end up in Calais, where they will then attempt to jump on the back of lorries and make their way to England.

Britain has now rescued 3823 migrants in total since it's deployment at the beginning of May.

The rescue comes as it was announced that HMS Bulwark will be replaced next month by the survey vessel HMS Enterprise.

A handover will take place during the next few days, before the ship begins its journey back to England for maintenance.

The ship is only half the size of the 19,000-ton Bulwark and can only rescue 120 migrants at any one time. Bulwark could rescue as many as 1,000 migrants in one operation.

Britain has now rescued 3823 migrants in total since it's deployment at the beginning of May

The rescue comes as it was announced that HMS Bulwark will be replaced next month by the survey vessel HMS Enterprise

As part of the intelligence gathering, GCHQ eavesdroppers on the smaller ship will pinpoint smuggling gangs so that she can intercept their vessels

Two Merlin helicopters which have been used to locate the overcrowded boats will also return, leaving just one helicopter to fly off a partner boat.

Bulwark's replacement marks a significant scaling down of British efforts to rescue migrants making the dangerous journey.

However, it is expected that the Italian navy will send its Flagship, Cavour, a large aircraft carrier, to pick up migrants and make up for the reduced UK capability.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon spoke at the weekend of a new phase in the mission to help prevent the migrant crisis.

He said the UK needed to 'get to the grips' with the problem and build up 'better intelligence' on the smuggling gangs making money from the trade.

Two Merlin helicopters which have been used to locate the overcrowded boats will also return, leaving just one helicopter to fly off a partner boat

The huge rescue operation this weekend came after 1,200 migrants were rescued in one day alone by the huge ship. They were plucked from nine vessels in June - six of them rubber dinghies

Elite forces will be sent in to smash the trafficking gangs, it is understood. Under plans drawn up by ministers, the SAS will work with specialist forces from other EU countries to help pinpoint the leaders of the ruthless gangs, the vessels they are using and the routes taken.

As part of the intelligence gathering, GCHQ eavesdroppers on the smaller ship will pinpoint smuggling gangs so that she can intercept their vessels.

Enterprise, which evacuated Britons from Libya last year as post Gaddafi violence escalated, is armed with 20mm cannon and machine guns.

The vessel has already been working to tackle pirates from Somalia in the Gulf of Aden. Navy chiefs have estimated some half a millions people are waiting to make the dangerous journey to Europe.