Rome - More than 4 000 would-be refugees were rescued at sea on Thursday in one of the busiest days of the Mediterranean migrant crisis, and at least 20 died trying to reach Europe as Libyan-based smugglers took advantage of calmer seas to send desperate migrants north. The death toll was likely to grow far higher, however, as the Libyan coast guard also reported two overturned boats between the coastal cities of Sabratha and Zwara. Only four bodies were found, raising fears that the rest of those on board had perished. Overall, the Italian coast guard said it had coordinated 22 separate rescue operations on Thursday that saved more than 4 ,000 lives. "That probably is a record," said coast guard spokesperson Commander Cosimo Nicastro, noting that previous highs have been in the range of 5 000 to 6 000 over two days. One 5-year-old boy got special treatment: He was airlifted from his rescue vessel to the island of Lampedusa, suffering from hypothermia, Nicastro said. At...

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