Coastguard Rescues 35 Migrant Boats from Tunisia
Coastguard teams have rescued 35 boats that set off from Tunisia last weekend. Three vessels ran into serious trouble en route to Europe.
At Least 23 Missing, 70 Bodies Recovered
Tragically, 23 people remain missing from these vessels, while 70 bodies have been pulled from the sea so far. The massive rescue effort included air and naval teams from the Coastguard, Border Police, European border agency Frontex, and humanitarian groups.
Italy Scrambles to Handle Surge in Migrants
Hundreds of migrants flooded onto Lampedusa island this weekend, leaving Italian officials racing to find new ways to transport them to Sicily and the mainland. In the past, commercial ferries and military vessels have been used for the transfers.
Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has cracked down hard on smugglers and charity boats, but migrants keep braving the perilous journey, hoping for work or to reunite with family in Europe.
Migrant Arrivals in Italy Quadruple in 2024
This year, more than 36,600 migrants have arrived in Italy – over four times the number from the same period in recent years, according to Italy’s Interior Ministry. Most asylum requests are rejected because migrants are fleeing poverty, not war or persecution.
With repatriation deals in place with only a handful of countries, many rejected migrants find themselves stuck in legal limbo or try to push on to northern Europe.
