Mediterranean migrant crisis: Italy rescues over 6k, demands help from EU

Italian rescue ships have brought thousands of migrants to the country’s southern ports as crowded shelters in Sicily and on the mainland struggled to find room for them. In a three-day period ending Sunday, 6,771 survivors were rescued in the seas north of Libya from overcrowded rubber dinghies and unseaworthy fishing boats sent out by smuggling rings. The migrants landed in southern Italy will quickly be dispersed to reception centres across the country pending decisions on their future.

Italy expects an extraordinary economic commitment from the European Union to help it meet the urgent needs linked to the reception of migrants. A European emergency cannot continue to have only Italian responses.

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said promises made at last month’s EU summit after a migrant boat disaster left 750 dead had to be honoured. This weekend’s surge in the number of boats leaving Libya was put down to the fine weather and calm sea conditions and will have confirmed the fears of Italian officials who anticipate a record number of arrivals on their southern shores between now and September.

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