Italian coastguards operating in Greek waters released a video on Wednesday 3 February, showing their night-time sea rescue of 11 migrants trying to reach Europe from Turkey. The video shows the migrants swimming in darkness, as the coastguard vessel approaches them.

Coastguard divers can be seen jumping into the sea and helping them into the rescue boat. In the video, one of the rescuers emerges from the sea holding a young boy, hands him to an unidentified male migrant wearing a thermal blanket, who hugs and kisses him.

The Italian coastguard is operating in Greece as part of the Europe Union's border force Frontex. Italy and Greece are on the front line of Europe's biggest immigration crisis since World War Two, with overcrowded boats packed with migrants reaching their shores from North Africa and Turkey.

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