The so-called hotspot on the island is the first shelter for many migrants who try to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea, where ships also regularly sink and people die. Lampedusa is located between Sicily and Tunisia and relatively close to the African coast, about 190 kilometers from the Tunisian coastal town of Sfax.
Thousands of boat people have arrived in Lampedusa in recent days. On Friday, according to ANSA, 1,917 people in 65 boats reached the island. On Saturday, another 55 boats arrived with a total of more than 2,000 migrants. Migrants also arrived in the night from Saturday to Sunday. Most were picked up at sea by Coast Guard and police vessels and brought ashore.
According to the Italian government, 107,530 people have already reached the southern European country by boat this year. That is more than in all of last year. In the spring, the government declared a state of emergency because of the large influx of migrants. Relieving Lampedusa was also mentioned as a point of attention at the time.