More than 700 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa at night; for this island it is a huge number

686 migrants arrived from Libya at night in a small fishing vessel, local media reported.

Five of these people were taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Shortly afterwards, the border guards spotted a smaller ship with another 67 people.

Another ship with 50 people arrived on Tuesday morning.

All migrants were taken to a temporary reception center, which, admittedly, is intended for only 250 people.

In total, more than 1,000 people are currently living in the camp.

In Rome, the Interior Ministry said it would send a quarantine ship to ease the plight.

Small ships with migrants regularly arrive in Lampedusa, but the arrival of a ship of this size with such a large number of migrants has not been experienced for a long time.

The ship left Zuvar, Libya, 290 kilometers away.

A few kilometers from Lampedusa, the ships were intercepted by the Italian authorities and escorted to port.

According to the United Nations, between January and early September, some 1,100 people died in the central Mediterranean, twice as many as in the same period last year.

Libya is an important transit country for migrants trying to get to Europe from other African countries or the Middle East.