Reception capacity on Lampedusa was
under strain again following the arrival by sea of around 400
migrants and refugees travelling in a total of 12 boats on
Wednesday.
The new arrivals included 97 people rescued by the NGO rescue
sail boat Nadir from three boats in distress that had departed
from Tunisia.
As of 7 am local time there were 2,996 people in the hotspot in
Contrada Imbriacola against an official capacity of around 400.
Two groups of 180 people each were due to be transferred off the
island later in the day, respectively by charter plane and
passenger ferry.
Meanwhile the president of the Lampedusa fishermen's consortium
and former mayor Salvatore Martello announced a state of
agitation starting Wednesday in relation to the use of the local
passenger ferry service linking Lampedusa to Porto Empedocle in
mainland Sicily for migrant transfers.
"It is clear that the two ships that connect the Pelagie islands
with the rest of Sicily have become taxis for migrants and can
no longer guarantee the regular transport of our catch and of
Lampedusan passengers," said Martello, announcing a meeting of
all the island's fishermen to organise a strike.
"We intend to ask the president of the region (Governor Renato
Schifani) for a ship dedicated to the population, fishermen and
also tourists," he added.
Lampedusa is Italy's southernmost island and the point of
arrival for many migrants and refugees making the dangerous
Mediterranean sea crossing from Libya and Tunisia in the search
for safety and a better life in Europe.
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