Over 1,700 migrants rescued in Mediterranean as many drown fleeing North Africa

Tunisian coast guard recovered 31 bodies of African migrants who drowned trying to cross to Italy
Migrant smugglers launched over 40 boats from Tunisia over the weekend, hundreds reached Lampedusa island in Italy though many remain missing
Italy rescued 47 boats carrying around 1,600 migrants in 2 days, bringing survivors to Lampedusa though at least 23 are missing and 1 body recovered
bodies washed ashore in Libya after 2 boats sank, survivors said 80 were on one boat heading to Europe though most remain missing
At least 55 migrants, including women and children, drowned when their rubber boat sank off Libya's coast, 5 survivors were rescued by Libyan coast guard