The air and naval patrols are to stem the rising number of immigrant deaths at sea.

Italy on Monday, October 14, 2013, began stepping up sea and air patrols following the recent deaths of hundreds of migrants arriving in the country in overcrowded boats from North Africa, the BBC reported.

Prime Minister Enrico Letta said the air and naval patrols known as ‘Operation Mare Nostrum’ were holding south of the island of Sicily. Defence Minister, Mario Mauro, said the country intended to triple its presence in the southern Mediterranean, adding that the move become necessary "in part by the fact that Libya is currently a 'non-State'," the Italian newspaper, Avvenire, said.

Foreign Minister, Emma Bonino, assured that the patrols will rescue migrants rather than "telling them to stay where they were." Interior Minister, Angelino Alfano, said ‘Operation Mare Nostrum’ will be a significant deterrent for those who think they can act with impunity in human trafficking, ANSA said. Rescued migrants will not necessarily be brought to Italy, Alfano said, explaining that each case will be evaluated on the basis of the place where the rescue took place.

Mario Mauro disclosed that the patrols involve five ships and an unspecified number of drones and aircraft. According to the UN, 32,000 migrants have arrived in Malta and Italy this year. Some 3,000 people try to flee Eritrea each month, complaining of alleged human rights violations and conscription into the army. On the other hand, much of Somalia is still controlled by al-Shabab militants after two decades of war, causing many to flee abroad for safety.