Calm seas and good weather in the southern Mediterranean are prompting a wave of migrant smuggling ships to attempt the crossing from Libya to Italy, the International Organization for Migration said Sunday, putting many lives at risk.
European navies and nongovernmental organizations are struggling to locate and rescue migrants from the rickety ships, and thousands may be pulled to safety Sunday, a spokesman for the organization told CNN. "The numbers are high, and they are rising," Federico Soda said.
The warning comes after nearly 3,500 migrants were rescued Saturday.
The HMS Bulwark, a British Royal Navy ship, has rescued more than 1,000 migrants on Sunday alone, including 10 pregnant women, a spokeswoman for the UK Defence Ministry told CNN.
It is the largest rescue operation the Bulwark has had since deploying to the Mediterranean on May 5, and the numbers are climbing as the operation is still ongoing, she said.