Italian officials said that more than 2,000 illegal migrants had to be rescued in just two days from dangerous seas.
The men, women and children had arrived on just 20 overcrowded boats and were picked up close in the waters south of Sicily.
The Italian navy and coastguard undertook the effort, but two private vessels were also involved.
It is believed that the trips were organised by people traffickers most likely operating out of ports in Libya.
The migrants were from a range of countries, including Eritrea, Somalia and Syria.
The European Union's border control agency says more than 20,000 people tried to reach Italian shores in 2013.
This is thought to account for almost half of the EU's illegal migration.
The rescue took place just after some 500 people stormed their way into Spain’s Melilla. As a result of repeated assaults, Spain has finally doubled the number of security forces in Melilla.
Thousands of migrants use Spain or Italy to try to reach Europe. Because of the atrocities in Syria, numbers have soared recently.
Both Spain and Italy have repeatedly called for help from other EU states to deal with the migrant influx.
