Italy’s Ministry of Interior has recently confirmed the significant rise in the number of migrants reaching its shores. Between January 1 and September 1, 2023, approximately 116,028 undocumented migrants have reached Italy. This number is nearly double the figures from the same period in 2022, where there were 63,498 arrivals.
According to the prominent Italian newspaper, Il Giornale, nearly 6,800 migrants have landed on the island of Lampedusa in recent hours. This represents a record number for arrivals to the region, which is closest to the African continent, as indicated by the Red Cross in the European country.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the organization pointed out that many of these families traveled with minors. Via the social networking site, previously known as Twitter, they mentioned, “Transfers are planned for the same day, but the situation is complicated due to more than 100 landings in the past few hours.”
The reception center in the region has a capacity for only 400 people. However, it has already taken in 5,112 undocumented migrants, with the inflow continuing even into the night.
The Mayor of Lampedusa, Filippo Mannino, expressed his astonishment at the scale of the situation. “We’ve never seen anything like this. Dozens of small boats have been escorted or channeled to rescue units in front of the port, while others have managed to arrive directly,” he said.
In light of the overwhelming numbers, he has also requested intervention from the head of the government, Georgia Meloni, emphasizing that the current figures are no longer sustainable for the island.
