Almost 1,000 migrants have been rescued in a 24 hour period as their boats floundered crossing the Mediterranean on their way to Europe . At least ten people perished when their vessel carrying around 130 people capsized in freezing waters off the Libyan coast . The Italian coast guard had rushed to the scene after being alerted by a tugboat working for Libyan offshore oil rigs and were able to save around 121 people . Scroll down for videos . An officer carries a baby as migrants disembark from an Italian Coast Guard vessel after being rescued in Porto Empedocle , Sicily , southern Italy on Wednesday . Migrants wait to disembark from an Italian Coast Guard vessel after being rescued in Porto Empedocle . In a dramatic sea rescue north of Libya , a flotilla of rescue ships saved nearly 1,000 migrants and refugees . Italian officials carry a coffin containing the body of one of the migrants who perished at sea . The coastguard ship Dattilo brought 439 migrants to Augusta along with the corpses of the 10 drowned migrants . Last month around 300 Sub Saharan Africans were thought to have drowned trying to cross the sea when their boats overturned in 20 foot waves . Pictured is a coffin being unloaded by Italian officials in Augusta . In the first two months of this year , 7,882 migrants arrived in Italy by boat , a figure that has surged by 43 per cent on last year ’ s record numbers , according to figures from Italy 's interior ministry . In the 24 hours between Tuesday and Wednesday Italy 's Coast Guard rescued a total of 941 migrants in seven rescue operations in the Sicilian Channel , it said . Two rubber dinghies and five boats carrying Syrians Palestinians , Tunisians , Libyans as well as sub Saharan Africans were rescued in waters about 50 miles north of Libya . Among the rescued were more than 30 children and one pregnant woman , who was taken to hospital for urgent medical attention . The swelling numbers demonstrate the increasing desperation of those attempting to flee the growing chaos and bloodshed in Libya . The rescue vessels saved 941 people in seven separate operations that began on Tuesday . The coast guard said the migrants ( pictured ) saved in the latest rescues claimed to be Syrians , Palestinians , Libyans , Tunisians or from sub-Saharan Africa . The migrants ( pictured ) had been aboard five motorized dinghies and two larger vessels . One of the larger boats capsized , and 10 bodies were spotted or plucked from the sea . Among the rescued were more than 30 children and one pregnant woman . A migrant kneels down and raises his hands as he disembarks safely in Porto Empedocle . Last month around 300 Sub Saharan Africans were thought to have drowned trying to cross the sea when their boats overturned in 20 foot waves . Survivors rescued from the sea by the Italian Coast Guard stand on the dockside at Augusta . An Italian Coast Guard vessel carrying rescued migrants arriving in Augusta . At the end of the year the Italian government closed their comprehensive search and rescue operation Mare Nostrum , which cost nine million euros a month , saying it was too much responsibility for Italy alone . It was replaced by the scaled-down Triton mission , a border control operation which patrols only the area 30 miles around the European coast . Last month around 300 Sub Saharan Africans were thought to have drowned trying to cross the sea when their boats overturned in 20 foot waves . Mauro Casinghini , Head of Rescue for the Order of Malta in Italy , said that Frontex was ‘ no substitute ’ for Mare Nostrum . He said that he expects thousands more people to die this year . The summer season for travel no longer exists he said . ‘ If sea is calm they go . If sea is rough they don ’ t go . The problem is , if the bat capsizes and the water is cold , they die quicker . ‘ . Those rescued were taken to Sicily on Tuesday . More than 183 were expected to arrive at Pozzallo on Wednesday with an oil tanker while another 319 was approaching Porto Empedocle . The coastguard ship Dattilo was bringing 439 migrants to Augusta along with the corpses of the 10 drowned migrants . MP Maurizio Gasparri of Berlusconi 's centre right Forza Italia said : 'Hundreds of migrants ready to disembark and a new tragedy in the Sicilian Channel . An ongoing disaster which this incompetent government can not tackle . It continues to tolerate the cynical action of criminals in so doing feeding the rapidly growing phenomenon of trafficking . Terrorists ready to strike our country may be among them . ' MP Matteo Salvini leader of the anti-immigration Northern League said : ‘ Another 10 dead and 900 illegal immigrants landing . In Rome and Brussels there are many with full pockets and blood on their hands . Stop the boats setting off , stop the deaths , stop the invasion . ’
At least ten people perished when their vessel capsized in freezing waters . Italy 's Coast Guard rescued 20 foot in Sicilian Channel in 24 hours . Among the rescued were more than 30 children and one pregnant woman .