In the early hours of October 22, a group of 245 migrants from various nationalities, including Syrians, Pakistanis, Egyptians, and Bengalis, were safely rescued near Lampedusa, averting a potential tragedy at sea.
Slightly after midnight on Sunday (October 22), a total of 245 migrants of different nationalities -- Syrians, Pakistani, Egyptians, and Bengali -- disembarked in Lampedusa.
Their 20-meter fishing boat, which had set sail from Zuara in Libya, was rescued by three patrol boats of the Guardia di Finanza together with a patrol boat of the EU border ageny Frontex.
The rescue reportedly came at the last minute, and for a few hours, people feared the worst, and that the patrol boats would not make it in time.
At the Prefecture in Agrigento, some went as far as to openly think back to the shipwreck that took place in October of 2013, when 368 migrants lost their lives. Luckily, everything turned out for the best.
The migrants, once they landed at the Favarolo dock, said they paid between 2,500 and 5,000 dollars each to make the crossing which began last Friday. After a preliminary health check-up, they were brought to the hotspot of Contrada Imbriacola.
The hotspot, which accommodated 251 people at the time, was cleared immediately. All but ten unaccompanied minors were transfered the same day to a hub in Catania to make room for the new arrivals.
The number of arrivals in 2023 has doubled
Data from the Italian Ministry of Interior indicates a significant increase in migrant arrivals in 2023. By October 20, a total of 141,043 migrants had reached Italy, a notable rise compared to 77,167 the previous year and 50,881 in 2021. The majority of these migrants come from Guinea, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Burkina Faso.
Among the over 141,000 migrants who reached Italian shores, 14,449 are unaccompanied minors, for whom it is not always easy to find a facility to host them.
The Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida, reported an 80% reduction in irregular arrivals and sea tragedies over the past weeks. He attributed this positive trend to Italy's collaboration with Tunisia, stating, "Since partnering with Tunisia, irregular migration has decreased."
Speaking at the Brothers of Italy initiative titled "A Winning Italy: One Year of Results of the Meloni Government," the minister emphasized that "managed legal migration supports businesses and growth. Four thousand regular migrants will arrive from Tunisia, while illegal migration remains a concern."