Over 1,000 Migrants Arrive on Italy’s Southern Coast

Rome: More than 1,000 irregular migrants reached Italy’s southern coast over the weekend, with significant arrivals on the island of Lampedusa and in Calabria and Puglia.

On Sunday alone, 232 migrants landed in Lampedusa, raising the total in the island’s immigration centers to 750. The International Organization for Migration reports that 1,121 people have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean Sea since the start of the year.

Italy’s Interior Ministry indicates that 46,991 irregular migrants have arrived in the country in 2024, while nearly 133,000 have made the journey since October of last year.

In another concerning development, Greece’s coast guard reported that three people died and five were rescued after a migrant boat encountered trouble near Samos. The boat, believed to be a dinghy, had an unclear number of passengers.

The ongoing migrant crisis continues to prompt discussions on immigration policies and humanitarian responses in Europe.