ITALY: Over 400 new migrants arrive in Lampedusa

Record ID: 348434

  • Title: ITALY: Over 400 new migrants arrive in Lampedusa
  • Date: 7th August 2011
  • Summary: MORE OF MIGRANTS BEING TRANSFERRED TO OTHER COAST GUARD VESSEL AT SEA
  • Embargoed: 22nd August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA86AQME1OECEW765IB85BLUP18
  • Story Text: Some 434 migrants were rescued by Italian police and coast guard off the coast of Lampedusa in the early hours of Saturday (August 6), less than a day after Italy criticised NATO for what it said was a failure to rescue migrants.
    Italy called on NATO on Friday (August 5) to launch an investigation into reports that alliance units failed to rescue migrants fleeing Libya this week when their boat ran into difficulties.
    According to Italian media reports, NATO air and naval units had been aware of the boat carrying some 300 migrants drifting in the Libyan waters but had failed to come to its aid. NATO said it had been told by Italian authorities that they were responding to the incident. It said it was working closely with them to clarify the facts.
    Italy's official Ansa news agency said 53 women and 8 minors were among the 434 migrants transported to Lampedusa on Saturday.
    An Italian navy ship "Spica", which is monitoring and controlling fish migration in the area, was appointed as the commander of search and rescue, Ansa said.
    The operation to transfer the migrants on various finance police and coast guard vessels continued throughout the morning of Saturday.
    According to Ansa, one migrant had needed emergency medical aid.
    Hundreds of people have died or drowned attempting the dangerous crossing from North Africa to Lampedusa, a tiny island off the southern coast of Sicily, as fighting in Libya has brought down previously strict border controls.
    Earlier this week Italian coast guards found the bodies of 25 men on another boat crammed with African migrants. The men had apparently died of asphyxiation.
    NATO has 17 ships in the Mediterranean enforcing an arms embargo on Libya and hundreds of planes enforcing a no-fly zone and conducting air strikes on the country.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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