THE IRISH NAVY rescued 220 people from the Mediterranean today.

The LÉ Samuel Beckett responded to calls to assist in two separate search and rescue operations today.

The first operation began at 6.15am. 125 migrants were rescued from a rubber craft 42 nautical miles north-east of Tripoli.

They were taken aboard the LÉ Samuel Beckett, where they received food, water and medical treatment where required.

In a second operation 95 people were rescued from a rubber craft and brought aboard the Irish navy vessel.

The operation took place as at least 1,800 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast.

The latest efforts came a day after more than 6,000 migrants were saved while making a perilous Mediterranean crossing.

Italian authorities said nine corpses had been found, while the Libyan coastguard said the bodies of 11 women and two children had been retrieved.

An AFP photographer said at least 22 Europe-bound migrants died yesterday in an overloaded wooden boat off Libya, most of them having suffocated.

With AFP