Italy rescues 300 migrants, sends navy ships, drones on patrols

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's navy rescued about 300 migrants in the waters between Sicily and Libya on Tuesday as the government deployed ships, helicopters and unmanned drones to help avert further shipwrecks that have already drowned hundreds this month.

A naval frigate and a patrol boat set out late on Monday when two separate migrant boats used satellite phones to call for help, a navy statement said. They were recovered and brought to the southern island of Lampedusa on Tuesday.