Rome: Migrants from African and Middle East countries are steadily arriving in Italy. It is reported that more than 1,200 illegal immigrants have arrived in the country in the last 24 hours. Officials said 674 people were rescued and 5 bodies were recovered from a fishing boat off the coast of Calabria.
Officials brought 522 people rescued from 15 boats to Lampedusa. The boats left from Libya and Tunisia. Lampedusa is one of the main ports of arrival in Europe. Those who were rescued include migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.
Italy’s coast guard and finance police are searching for the refugees. 34,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in Italy earlier this year. Figures from Italy’s interior ministry suggest it was 25,500 in the same period last year. The island of Lampedusa, which can accommodate more than 1,000 people, has so far seen 350 migrants arrive on Saturday and more than 400 on Sunday.