Some migrant children rescued from sea, many drown

Spain’s defense ministry said its navy frigate on Wednesday rescued 282 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea. The migrants included 61 women and 203 men from African and Asian countries. About 18 Eritrean children were also among the rescued. Earlier Tuesday, rescue groups said more than 30 migrants, the majority of them toddlers, drowned when about 200 people without lifejackets fell into the sea before they could be helped into rescue boats. More than 50,000 migrants have attempted the illegal crossing into Europe this year despite several moves by the continent to curtail the crisis. Libya’s instability and the migration crisis will be major discussion topics at the G-7 summit in Italy, which begins tomorrow. “Sicily stands as a symbol of hope for uprooted children seeking a better life, but it is also the endpoint of an extremely dangerous journey that has claimed the lives of many children along the way,” UNICEF deputy executive director Justin Forsyth said in a statement.

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