On Saturday (March 11), two ports in Italy became safe havens for over 1,000 migrants after a major coastguard operation was launched on Friday to rescue three boats in distress in the rough seas off Calabria. Reuters reported that 584 migrants were brought to Reggio Calabria by one coastguard vessel, while another vessel carrying 487 migrants arrived at the nearby port of Crotone. This area was also the location of the tragic February 26 shipwreck that claimed 74 lives.
According to local officials who spoke to the news agency, an additional 200 migrants were rescued off the coast of Sicily and were scheduled to be transported to Catania later on Saturday. In the past few days, over 4,000 people have arrived in Italy, a stark contrast to the 1,300 people who arrived during the entirety of March 2022.
According to local officials who spoke to the news agency, an additional 200 migrants were rescued off the coast of Sicily and were scheduled to be transported to Catania later on Saturday. In the past few days, over 4,000 people have arrived in Italy, a stark contrast to the 1,300 people who arrived during the entirety of March 2022.
On Saturday, it was reported that the death toll from the February 26 shipwreck has risen to 74 following the discovery of a young girl’s body. While 79 migrants survived the ordeal, 30 individuals are still unaccounted for.
The Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has faced harsh criticism in the wake of the tragedy. In addition to being accused of not taking timely action to rescue the boat, the government is also facing challenges in managing the influx of migrants, despite making repeated promises to control it.
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced a new decree that will impose harsher prison sentences for human traffickers. The meeting was held in Cutro, close to the site of the February 26 shipwreck. Meloni also pledged to create more legal channels for migration. However, the government did not introduce any new measures to prevent future tragedies at sea.
The news agency AFP reported on Saturday that Italy has witnessed a surge in the number of migrants trying to reach its shores through the perilous Mediterranean journey. Interior ministry figures reveal that over 17,500 individuals have arrived by sea this year, which is almost triple the number for the same period last year.