( CNN ) -- The Italian navy said it rescued more than 1,000 migrants from several overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean between Tuesday and Wednesday morning . The migrants , who included women and children , had set off from the North African coast and were not equipped with life jackets , the navy said . They are now being taken by ship to the port of Augusta , on Italy 's Mediterranean island of Sicily . On Tuesday , three other navy ships disembarked 1,049 more migrants rescued since Monday in the ports of Augusta and Pozzallo , also in Sicily , the navy said . Italy is a major gateway into Europe for migrants who come by sea from North Africa in hope of reaching EU soil . Shipwrecks off the shores of Sicily and the tiny island of Lampedusa are common , thanks to the frequent use of overcrowded and barely seaworthy vessels . But despite the dangers , migrants keep coming . Some are from African nations , particularly Eritrea and Somalia , while others have fled war-torn Syria , officials say . According to the European border agency Frontex , more than 12,000 illegal migrants were detected off Sicily and 8,000 off Lampedusa in the third quarter of last year . Many of those arriving on Italy 's shores have set sail from Libya , the agency said . CNN 's Lindsay Isaac contributed to this report .
Italy 's navy picks up the migrants between Tuesday and Wednesday morning . The migrants , who sailed from North Africa , include women and children . Comment: Some migrants come from African nations , others from war-torn countries like Syria .