450 more migrants abandoned at sea

An Icelandic Coast Guard ship was today towing a cargo vessel to Italy with about 450 migrants who were abandoned by smugglers, leaving the vessel navigating without a crew, authorities said.

Italian Coast Guard spokesman Filippo Marini said today that after several hours of struggling in rough seas, rescue teams managed to secure the Ezadeen for towing toward the southern Calabrian region. The Icelandic ship, part of a new European patrol force to aid migrants at sea, was doing the towing.