Tunisian Arrivals on Lampedusa Stop – 40 Egyptians Reach Sicily

Wednesday marked the third day without any migrants reaching Lampedusa.  The Italian Coast Guard was searching for a 45 meter boat that may have left Tunisia with migrants and which was reported missing.  Sea conditions continue to be rough and Italian authorities predict the migrant flow will resume once sea conditions improve.  Plans to move migrants from Lampedusa to other locations within Italy to reduce overcrowding on the island have been delayed because the new reception centres are not yet prepared to receive the migrants.

40 Egyptian migrants reached Marina di Ragusa on the southern coast of Sicily on Tuesday.  Interior Minister Maroni announced that the migrants were returned to Egypt on Wednesday by a charter flight after the new Egyptian government agreed to their return.  He praised the new military government for honouring the agreements that Italy had with the Mubarak government.  (“Significa che il nuovo Governo egiziano dei militari rispetta gli accordi che noi avevamo sottoscritto con il Governo Mubarak e che consentono un rapido rimpatrio degli egiziani arrivati sulle nostre coste”.)

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