Rescuers Pull 300 Migrants From 2 Boats off the Libyan Coast

Rescuers pulled nearly 300 people from two rubber boats
 in waters off the Libyan coast on Friday and were looking
 for 100 more believed to be on a another boat missing 
since Sunday.

Thousands fleeing violence or looking for better 
opportunities in Europe have already taken to the
 sea this month, braving the winter weather .Many
 more are expected as temperatures rise.

The U.N. refugee agency says that 247 people are 
known to have died or disappeared in the Mediterranean 
so far in January.

Rescuers from the Spanish organization Proactiva Open
 Arms found Friday's boats traveling 24 miles
 (40 kilometers) north of Sabratha, in the Libyan cost.

Laura Lanuza, a spokeswoman with the Spanish NGO, 
said the 299 sub-Saharan migrants were in good health 
and would be transferred to a port in Sicily.