The Italian coast guard found a dead baby on a boat carrying migrants to Lampedusa, the ANSA news agency reported. Nearly 126,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Italy this year, almost double the number for the same period in 2022.
Migrants on the island of Lampedusa, Sicily, Italy on September 16, 2023. Photo: Reuters
This week alone, Lampedusa has seen thousands of migrant landings, more than the island's permanent population, prompting local politicians to call for help.
The Italian coastguard said the baby born during the journey had been found in a rescue operation. Earlier this week, a five-month-old boy drowned in a rescue operation off Lampedusa after a boat carrying migrants and refugees from North Africa capsized.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit the island on Sunday, at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, an EU official said.
Prime Minister Meloni has called on the EU to act to ease the pressure after thousands of people landed by boat in the past three days in Lampedusa, just 145km off the Tunisian coast.
The surge in arrivals has sparked debate about how Europe should share responsibility for asylum seekers.
Because of its proximity to the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax, Lampedusa has for years been one of the main destinations for people from North Africa trying to reach European shores. This week, the island’s refugee camp, which has a capacity of fewer than 400 people, was overwhelmed.
Dozens of Lampedusa residents held protests on Saturday against plans to build a new tent camp to accommodate border crossers.
“I have two children. Over the years I have not cared about this issue. But now I have an instinct to protect my children because I do not know what will happen to Lampedusa in the future,” said one of the protesters.
Mai Anh (according to Al Jazeera)
Source
Comment (0)