Italy coast guards rescue 46 stranded on rocks of Lampedusa Island

ROME (AA) - Italy's Coast Guard on Friday rescued 46 irregular migrants stranded on the rocks of Lampedusa Island, following a perilous journey across the Mediterranean.

According to reports from the Italian ANSA agency, Coast Guard teams navigated the treacherous waters to reach the cliffs at the western edge of Lampedusa Island, known as Italy's closest outpost to North Africa.

During the operation, the teams also found the body of one migrant.

The migrants were reported to be Pakistani and Egyptian nationals.

According to data from the Italian Interior Ministry, the number of irregular migrants who have arrived in the country by sea since Jan. 1 has reached 4,979.

During the same period last year, the number was 15,107.

In the irregular migration flow to Europe, the Central Mediterranean route between Italy, Malta, Libya and Tunisia stands out as one of the routes with intense activity in recent years.