Italy considers immigrant action

More than 350 children were among the 1,000 immigrants on board the Monica

ROME, Italy -- The Italian Cabinet is to consider imposing a state of emergency in Sicily to cope with the influx of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country.

In the latest incident the Italian coastguard intercepted a ship carrying about 1,000 people, off the coast of Sicily, and escorted it to Catania port on Monday.

Interior Minister Claudio Scajola, speaking in the U.S., made the call for state of emergency in Sicily, a move that would give authorities more power to fight illegal immigration.

The Cabinet was expected to take up the matter this week.

Authorities said the 1,000 people on board the Monica was the largest single group of immigrants caught trying to enter the country via Sicily.

The immigrants said the ship set sail from Iraq and stopped in Iran before it was intercepted near Sicily.

IN-DEPTH Immigration: Europe on the move

Some of the passengers told reporters that the Monica had been at sea for eight days, and they had not had access to fresh water for the last two days of their voyage. First aid was administered to the immigrants when they arrived in port.

The ship appeared to be in poor condition and the passengers said sanitary conditions were terrible.

One woman went into labour while she was on board the ship, and an Italian doctor was brought in to deliver the baby.

A helicopter flew the woman, her baby and another pregnant woman -- along with the doctor -- to a hospital in Catania.

The passengers, including more than 350 children, were taken to a sports stadium near the port and were due to be transferred to a detention centre in Puglia, a southern region that sees thousands of arrivals every year, the Interior Ministry said.

Their nationalities were not immediately clear, said Franco Ferranti, an official with border police in Catania.

The interior ministry, which is in charge of domestic security, said a French military vessel had followed the ship on Saturday but did not board it.

Several people suspected of being members of the crew were detained, Associated Press reported.