Hundreds still at sea – More than 1,000 migrants arrived in southern Italy

Strong winds and increasingly rough seas are predicted for the weekend. According to its own statements, the Italian coastguard has rescued 1,200 migrants since Friday. A fishing boat with about 500 people on board arrived in the harbor of the southern Italian town of Crotone on Saturday night. Most of them were refugees from Afghanistan. According to the Interior Ministry, most people arriving in Italy come from Ivory Coast, Guinea, Bangladesh and Tunisia.

The second boat arrived in the port of Reggio Calabria on Saturday with 584 people. Authorities say 70 of them were women and children. Hundreds of other migrants are said to be still at sea. “The rescue efforts are particularly complex due to the large number of people on board the floating boats,” said a Coast Guard representative. This was recently criticized for initially not helping a boatload of migrants in late February. As reported, the wooden boat capsized off the coast of Calabria. At least 76 people were killed and bodies continued to be recovered on Saturday.

Authority: Didn’t assume an emergency
The authorities and the government stated that they did not assume an emergency situation. New immigration rules were passed on Thursday to encourage regular migration. Stricter measures against people smugglers will also be introduced. Smugglers who cause the deaths of migrants could face up to 30 years in prison in the future. The places where people without an immigration permit can be returned to their country of origin will also be expanded.