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Over 100 children were aboard two migrant boats assisted late Monday by the Italian Navy south of Sicily's Capo Passero. Rescue operations were halted due to bad weather conditions and resumed on Tuesday, Navy officials said. The Navy said a helicopter from its Grecale frigate detected two wooden boats carrying the migrants. One of the boats was being towed by the other.
Navy officials handed lifesavers to passengers and started transferring migrants aboard the Grecale and the Foscari patrol vessel.
The rescue operations were conducted with assistance from some merchant ships in the area, the Navy said in a statement.
Women and children were transferred first before the operation was temporarily suspended.