EUROPE-MIGRANTS/SICILY ARRIVALS Italian navy brings 600 migrants to safe haven in Sicily

Record ID: 146608

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/SICILY ARRIVALS Italian navy brings 600 migrants to safe haven in Sicily
  • Date: 20th July 2015
  • Summary: AUGUSTA, SICILY, ITALY (JULY 20, 2015) (REUTERS) ITALIAN NAVY SHIP 'SIRIO' IN DOCK MIGRANTS ON DECK RESCUERS UNLOADING WATER BOTTLES VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS ON DECK/ NGO STAFF STAFF FROM THE NGO ''SAVE THE CHILDREN'' IN FRONT OF SHIP VARIOUS OF MIGRANT CARRIED ON STRETCHER VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS DISEMBARKING SHIP, BEING GIVEN BOTTLES OF WATER VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS ON DOCKSIDE MIGRA
  • Embargoed: 4th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6954G72QDC3DQ2S2QJMPHKWHF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: About 600 migrants, mostly from Sub-Saharian Africa, were brought to the Sicilian harbour of Augusta by the Italian Navy on Monday (July 20).
    The migrants, who were rescued at sea over the last two days and also included a number of women, reached Italy as the European Union is seeking an agreement to cope with the relentless flow of migrants.
    Following the deaths of some 700 people on a fishing boat heading for Italy from Libya in April, the European Commission, the EU's executive, has proposed a plan to keep more migrants from attempting the dangerous crossing. But it faces objections from EU governments dealing with anti-immigrant parties at home.
    Despite an agreement among EU leaders at a summit in June, Spain and Poland have emerged as the staunchest critics of a relocation plan, opposing the number of asylum seekers they are expected to take in from Italy and Greece.
    An estimated 150,000 migrants have reached Europe by sea so far in 2015, most of them arriving in Italy and Greece, the International Organisation for Migration said. More than 1,900 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean, twice the toll during the same period last year, spokesman Joel Millman said.
    Under the plan, the Commission wants EU governments to take in 20,000 refugees from their countries of origin or in transit, such as displaced Syrians, or in neighbouring Lebanon or Jordan.
    In addition, to reduce the pressure on the southern European countries where many migrants first land, EU governments must also agree to distribute 40,000 asylum seekers from Italy and Greece to other EU countries over the next two years.
    In exchange for taking in more refugees, the Commission blueprint involves stricter identification of migrants arriving to Europe and streamlined procedures to send home those who cannot claim international protection.
    An EU military mission in the Mediterranean is also underway to discourage migrant traffickers from arranging new crossings.
    Many asylum seekers pitch up on the southern shores of Europe after risking their lives in overloaded boats dispatched by human traffickers dispatched across the Mediterranean.
    Migrants come mainly from African and Middle Eastern countries plagued by conflict, human rights abuses and poverty.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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