(ANSA) - CROTONE, MARCH 11 - There are precisely 487 migrants, all men, who landed after midnight in Crotone from an old and run-down fishing boat which was escorted into the port by three Coast Guard patrol boats.
From the data collected by the immigration office of the Crotone police station, among the rescued migrants there are 370 Pakistanis, 85 Egyptians, 35 Afghans.
Overall there are about forty minors.
From the nationalities of the migrants who were on board the boat, the investigators speculate that the journey started from the port of Tobruk in Lebanon, a meeting point between Pakistan and Egypt, and not from Turkey as usually happens.
The crossing lasted 5 days.
Investigations are underway to identify the smugglers and ascertain the port of origin of the vessel.
The fishing vessel was intercepted yesterday afternoon about 70 miles off the Calabrian coast following a report from Frontex.
The naval units of the Coast Guard hooked him off the coast of Crotone and also with the help of a tugboat they managed to bring him safely to the port despite the poor conditions and the overcrowding of the boat.
(HANDLE).
