Humanitarian groups race to Lampedusa as over 850 Migrants arrive on Friday

Humanitarian groups are rushing to Lampedusa after more than 750 people arrived on the island in 25 separate landings between the night of Thursday and Friday.

Italian media reported that later on Friday, five more boats arrived carrying 80 people from Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Sudan, Chad, Gambia, Ghana and Guinea.

All 80 said they set off on their journey from Sfax in Tunisia.

These people have been transported to Lampedusa’s hotspot, which has an official capacity of 400 people but is currently housing more than 2000 people, according to ANSA.
International media also reported that the Italian government will be transferring some people off the island to Porto Empedocle in Sicily.

Italian Red Cross told international media that more favourable weather conditions at sea had seen their local reception centres overcrowded.

Once leaving Lampedusa, migrants are then transferred to other parts of the country.

More than 12,000 unaccompanied minors have arrived in Italy since the beginning of the year. Many of them are sub-Saharan people who fled from Tunisia.

The European Union and Tunisia recently signed a memorandum or agreement under which the North African country pledged to stop migration flows in exchange for more than 100 million euros. 

However, according to the latest figures there has been no deterrent effect. The number of arrivals has increased compared with the period before the memorandum was signed.