A European Border and Coast Guard patrol boat Frontex and an Italian Coast Guard ship rescued a total of 394 people in the central Mediterranean. 198 people disembarked in the port of the southern Italian city of Crotone on Wednesday. 196 other migrants disembarked at the port of Roccella Jonica. Nearly all those rescued came from Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. Also on board were 40 unaccompanied minors from Egypt.
The Italian Red Cross provided food for the migrants in Crotone before they were taken to the shelter in Isola Capo Rizzuto. It was the eighth September seizure in Crotone and the 60th since the beginning of the year.
65,578 people have arrived in Italy since early 2022 after crossing the Mediterranean Sea. In the comparative period of 2021 there were 42,057 and in 2020 21,042, as announced by the Ministry of the Interior in Rome.
Refugees as an important campaign theme
The arrival of migrants was a hot campaign theme in Italy. The country elected a new parliament on Sunday. A coalition of centre-right parties, including the anti-immigrant Lega and Fratelli d’Italia (FdI/Brothers of Italy) gained an absolute majority in parliament. Right-wing populists celebrated the election success and congratulated Giorgia Meloni, others are not very optimistic and warn: “Meloni could be a disaster for Europe.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
