23 Med countries, only Italy rescues - coast guard (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, June 26 - Italy is the only one out of 23 Mediterranean countries to rescue migrants, coast guard commander Giovanni Pettorino told ANSA Tuesday. "We have coordinated all the rescues in an area of one million and one hundred thousand square kilometres which is practically the half of the Mediterranean, and yet 23 countries look onto this sea," the admiral said. The coast guard did this alone, with the help of all those who helped, merchant ships, military ships, all those who answered our calls. Now the scenario is changing because Libya is intervening."