ROME: Over 800 migrants were rescued from the Mediterranean Sea after multiple agencies launched a joint operation on Saturday, local media reports said.

The migrants were spotted sailing in overcrowded five boats, including two rubber dinghies.

Seven children were also among the rescued and were taken by helicopter to the nearest hospital, located in Sfax, Tunisia.

Two bodies were recovered too, according to officials.

In recent years, hundreds of thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have been rescued at sea. They seek to reach Europe to escape armed conflicts in their respective countries and earn a livelihood.