The Italian Coast Guard has been dispatched to rescue three boats of more than 1,000 migrants off the coast of southern Italy. According to the Coast Guard, the rescue operation is “exceptionally complicated” due to the large number of people.

Boats, aircraft and military ship were deployed. Migrants may have had problems due to weather conditions. There are strong winds that make the Mediterranean sea very rough. European border guard Frontex has warned Italian authorities that migrants on boats could get into trouble.

According to the head of the Southern Calabria region, a total of about 1,300 migrants are on the three boats. 500 of them are on a boat near the port city of Crotone. Other boats drift out to sea.

According to Italian media, the Coast Guard took action earlier today for 500 migrants who were on a boat near the island of Lampedusa, in southern Italy.

Frontex says more people have attempted to cross the Mediterranean into Italy in recent days. Every year, tens of thousands of immigrants try to reach Europe via this route.

At least 73 migrants were killed off the coast of Calabria at the end of last month. Police ships attempted to intercept their wooden boat, but were unable to because of the bad weather. The Coast Guard, better equipped for this purpose, was not called in immediately.

Prime Minister Meloni responded on Thursday by announcing tougher prison sentences for people smugglers. It also wants to stem the number of migrants arriving on the Italian coast by tackling illegal immigration to Europe. Meloni constrained aid organizations in a law allowing them to deposit fewer migrants in Italy.