Migrants, 500 in danger with the heavy seas, government meeting today

500 are in danger on an overcrowded boat that left Libya in heavy seas.

Another 32 arrived on the islet of Lampione;

with the sea at force 6, a Coast Guard helicopter had to intervene to recover them.

And in the afternoon, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will take stock of the flow dossier with Deputy Prime Ministers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini and Ministers Matteo Piantedosi and Guido Crosetto.

Arrivals rose to 28,000 in the first three months of 2023, 300% more than the 6,800 in 2022. At this rate, projections indicate 430,000 landings by the end of the year and the Government aims to accelerate initiatives to curb departures especially from Tunisia and Libya, but in the meantime it is necessary to prepare to expand the places in reception which are now scarce.

The news tells of a slowdown in arrivals in the last two days due to the prohibitive weather conditions.

But there are those who went on the road anyway.

Yesterday 32 landed in Lampione, the smallest of the Pelagie islands;

a Coast Guard patrol boat tried to recover them, but the high waves didn't allow it and so they were picked up by helicopter.

Another boat then departed from Libya with about 500 people and is now in trouble in the Maltese sar area, according to the mayday launched by Alarm Phone. "The European authorities must immediately launch a rescue operation. Sea conditions are highly criticisms", is the appeal of the telephone service, which speaks of wind at 27 knots and very high waves.

Meanwhile the Ocean Viking,

with 92 people on board (about half unaccompanied minors) saved, it continues its journey towards Salerno, the port assigned by Italy.

The arrival is expected at 7 tomorrow morning.

ANSA agency

Migrants stranded in Lampione rescued by helicopter - Chronicle

The 32 who were on the islet were transported in 5 trips (ANSA)

They are Africans, mostly from Somalia, Sudan, Ghana and Egypt.

The prefecture has prepared the procedures for reception.

Still a hot day, therefore, on the migrant front.

And there will be others.

The dossier is therefore brought to the attention of the Government, which periodically takes stock of the state of the art with all the ministers involved to coordinate the steps to be taken.

Tomorrow new meeting chaired by Meloni.

Diplomatic initiatives are in full swing, with pressure on Europe and on Tunisia and Libya, the main countries of departure.

Today the Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Vincenzo Grassi, explained that Rome "is committed to cooperation and dialogue with the Libyan authorities to strengthen the management of migration and respect for human rights".

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Piantedosi, for his part, is committed to organizing reception without the system being overwhelmed by too many arrivals.

The Defense will make military ships and aircraft available to empty the Lampedusa hotspot - by now constantly overcrowded - on days with the greatest peak in presences.

The objective of the owner of the Viminale is widespread hospitality, distributing small quantities of migrants throughout the national territory to avoid large concentrations that could weigh on the territories.

He then aims to enhance repatriations, also by speeding up the procedures for examining applications for protection.

There is therefore the strengthening of the network of detention centers for repatriation, thanks also to the measures contained in the decree-law being converted.

We need more - at least one per region - and with greater capacity.

However, not everyone agrees.

The president of Tuscany, Eugenio Giani, is against "new prisons for those who have to be expelled. In Tuscany we want to create suitable places for a function that is to welcome and guide these people on a professional level".