Spanish navy rescues 282 migrants from 2 boats off Libya

Madrid -  Spain's defense ministry says a navy frigate has rescued 282 migrants from two boats found adrift in waters off the Libyan coast.

A ministry statement says the migrants rescued on Wednesday included 18 Eritrean children under 10 years old. They were sailing in a small rubber boat and a larger wooden one.

The statement on Thursday says the migrants were from African and Asian nations. They were transferred to a British vessel also taking part in the European Union's anti-smuggling mission in Libyan waters.

The ministry says the rescue brought to 3 035 the number of migrants picked up by the frigate in the past three months. It says three alleged traffickers were detained.