Rome
CNN
—
An Italian official reported that over 2,000 migrants arrived on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa in the past day, setting a new record.
On Friday, 1,778 people arrived, and another 267 people landed on seven small boats overnight Saturday, according to the official.
While previous years have seen higher numbers of arrivals, this is the earliest in the year that such a large number of migrants have arrived in a single day.
Lampedusa, located near Sicily and the closest Italian island to Africa, is a popular destination for migrants seeking to enter European Union countries.
Many of the boats were rescued by charities. Under new rules from Italy’s right-leaning government, NGOs face fines for breaking a code of conduct.
According to Italy’s immigration ministry, the number of migrants arriving on Italy’s shores by boat more than tripled in the first two months of 2023 compared to the same period last year.
2023-03-25 11:37:17
Post from www.cnn.com