Migrants reach Italy: more than 1000 refugees in a few hours

In southern Italy, more than 1,000 refugees, who were rescued at sea by the Coast Guard and arrived on the small island of Lampedusa by boat, have landed in no time. Hundreds more are still waiting on the rescue ships.

In a matter of hours, more than 1,000 refugees who had fled the Mediterranean to Europe landed in Italy. A merchant ship and the Coast Guard rescued more than 600 people on Saturday from an overcrowded boat that floated about 200 kilometers off the Calabrian coast, the Coast Guard said. Five bodies were also found there. People moved to various ports in southern Italy.

In addition, more than 550 people on 15 boats reached the Italian island of Lampedusa on Saturday evening alone. They are said to have originated in Tunisia and Libya. According to Italian information, the reception facility on Lampedusa, designed for 300 people, is dramatically overcrowded. Presently 1200 people are living there.

Rescue organizations report hundreds more rescued

Rescue organization Sea Watch announced that it had rescued more than 400 people in multiple missions on Saturday. SOS Méditerranée said it had carried 87 people from an overcrowded inflatable boat. According to the information, hundreds of people were waiting to get permission to go to the coast.

Nearly 1000 people have died on the Mediterranean route so far

According to the Interior Ministry in Rome, 34,000 people have come to Italy by Mediterranean routes so far this year, which is significantly more than in the previous two years.

The Mediterranean Sea is the most dangerous refugee route in the world according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). According to IOM estimates, 990 people have died or disappeared at the crossing since the beginning of the year.