- Title: ITALY: Four hundred migrants land on Italy's southern island of Lampedusa
- Date: 12th June 2006
- Summary: (EU) LAMPEDUSA, ITALY (JUNE 11, 2006) (REUTERS) ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS' SHIP AT SEA FOLLOWED BY COAST GUARDS IMMIGRANTS' SHIP AT SEA FULL OF PEOPLE VARIOUS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS' SHIP DOCKING AT LAMPEDUSA'S HARBOUR VARIOUS CLOSE UPS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ONBOARD POLICE FILMING IMMIGRANTS ON SHIP IMMIGRANTS
- Embargoed: 27th June 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVABO4HG6SLH5F82YUG1AQKFE8CG
- Story Text: More than 400 migrants landed on Lampedusa on Sunday (June 11), one of the largest single arrivals of boat people ever on the Italian island which has become a gateway for illegal immigrants and refugees.
A Reuters TV cameraman witnessed the late morning arrival of a large fishing boat, escorted by coastguard and police vessels. The rusty ship was packed with 402 men and women, apparently of African and Middle Eastern origin.
The sea between Libya and Italy is a popular route for migrants trying to reach the European Union, with small boats carrying far fewer passengers arriving almost daily at the holiday island of Lampedusa alone.
Some 40 of those who arrived on Sunday were treated by volunteer medics for minor injuries.
The migrants were then taken to the island's holding camp which officially has capacity for fewer than 200 people but often houses hundreds more when migrant traffic is heavy.
Italy's new centre-left government has yet to formulate a new policy on immigration but has said it would not continue the fast-track repatriation to Libya which former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi agreed with Libya.
The leaders of France, Spain and Portugal sent a letter to EU president Austria on Friday, calling on European countries to discuss African issues at their summit in Luxembourg on Monday.
Thousands of migrants have left from West Africa's coast in attempts to reach the Canary Islands and Spain, while others have left from North Africa toward Italy and Malta.
Many of them die trying to reach Europe where they hope to find a better life and more opportunities.
Eleven migrants were believed to have drowned on Friday (June 9) after their boat capsized 40 miles off Malta. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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