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| Bodies spotted near Italian coast | Bodies spotted near Italian coast |
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| The bodies of at least a dozen suspected immigrants have been seen floating off Italy's Lampedusa island, the country's coastguard has said. | The bodies of at least a dozen suspected immigrants have been seen floating off Italy's Lampedusa island, the country's coastguard has said. |
| Patrol boats were sent to the area, about 50 miles (80km) south-west of the southern island. | |
| A helicopter search crew spotted the bodies, some still wearing life vests. | A helicopter search crew spotted the bodies, some still wearing life vests. |
| Lampedusa, located between Sicily and north Africa, is used as a landing point by thousands of illegal migrants trying to enter the EU from Africa. | Lampedusa, located between Sicily and north Africa, is used as a landing point by thousands of illegal migrants trying to enter the EU from Africa. |
| Earlier on Tuesday, Italian coastguards said since the start of the year they had found about 7,000 immigrants attempting illegal entry into Italy from the sea. | |
| Just over 1,600 people were also found after they managed to land in Italy. | |
| However the figures represent a significant reduction from the same period last year when around 16,000 people were found in Italian waters between January and September. | |
| According to the United Nations, 77 people died and 133 went missing in June alone after trying to cross the Strait of Sicily. |