The situation on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa remained tense on Thursday evening. As reported, more than 9,000 migrants have arrived since Monday (see video above). About a third have now left the island for Sicily and the mainland. Citizens spoke of a situation that had gotten out of hand.
They protested in front of the town hall on Thursday. “We have been confronted with the migration problem for thirty years. “It can’t go on like this,” some protesters said. A torchlight procession was planned for Thursday evening in solidarity with a baby who fell into the water and drowned during landing in Lampedusa on Wednesday. The 17-year-old mother, who was able to save herself, is currently receiving medical care.
Here you can view current photos.
400 newcomers
“The situation on the island is complex, but it is normalizing,” said Francesca Basile, spokeswoman for the Red Cross in Lampedusa. The population would help distribute food and water bottles for the migrants. The Red Cross manages the refugee shelter, which currently houses 4,200 people. Nine boats again arrived in Lampedusa on Thursday with almost 400 people on board. The rescue ship “Aurora”, operated by the NGO “Sea Watch”, took away 84 people who were on two unseaworthy boats.
Here you can see where Lampedusa is located.
At the same time, about 3,000 migrants left the island again on Thursday. They head towards Sicily and the mainland. The municipal council of the Mediterranean island declared a state of emergency on Wednesday. “We call for a structural solution because we can no longer manage these migration flows alone,” said Mayor Filippo Mannino. He called for the deployment of naval vessels to intercept boats carrying migrants off the coast of Lampedusa before they even reach the island.
14 million euros from the EU
The European Commission is already in contact with the Italian authorities. According to the company’s own information, approximately 450 employees from the EU Asylum Agency and Frontex work on site. Italy is being financially supported with 14 million euros in emergency aid, the country said. The money should help care for the migrants and transport them from the island to the mainland.
The Austrian Ministry of the Interior says it is also in contact with the Italian authorities. Supervision of the burner is intensified. However, experts assume that most migrants will remain in Italy or continue on to France, especially since many of them speak French.
Source: Krone
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