Frontex data showing migrant arrivals in Southern Italy as of 13 Feb

Frontex posted data on its web site summarizing migrant detections in southern Italy as of 13 February.  According to media reports, with the exception of a small number of Egyptians who landed in Sicily on Tuesday (it is unclear whether they sailed directly from Egypt), no North African migrants have landed in Italy since 14 February.

From Frontex:  “Warsaw, February 15—According to official data provided by Italian authorities, between January 1 and February 13, 2011, a total of 5526 migrants were recorded landing in the Pelagic Island, in a total of 116 incidents.  This compares to 7,200 for the whole of 2008, the peak year for arrivals of irregular migrants in these islands to date, when Tunisians were the most commonly represented nationality, accounting for 23% of arrivals. Of the official 2011 figures, by far the biggest influx was noted in Lampedusa, where 5031 migrants were recorded between January 1 and February 13, in 80 arrivals….  The table below gives a summary of detections in 2011 until February 13. ”