A total of 1,300 migrants were rescued on Friday in the Mediterranean aboard 10 rubber dinghies, two small wooden boats and a larger vessel, coastguard said.
The migrants were saved by Italian coastguard and navy ships, a British navy ship and two charity rescue vessels in 13 operations coordinated by Italian coastguard.
An earlier report on Friday said 700 migrants had been rescued in the Mediterranean in several operations and included pregnant women and young children. Most of the migrants were from sub-Saharan Africa but they also numbered Syrians and Palestinians, the report said.
The migrants were being taken to Sicily.
European Union leaders meeting in Malta on Friday agreed to a plan to stop the influx of migrants to Italy from Libya, including 200 million euros to help strengthen its coastguard.
A total 5,932 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea this year through 2 February, about 80 percent arriving in Italy and the rest in Greece, according to figures issued on Friday by the International Organisation for Migration.
