Lampedusa, Italy - More than 300 would-be migrants landed Thursday on the Italian islet of Lampedusa when three vessels carrying them were escorted to shore by authorities.
The first and largest group - 239 people including 45 women and two children - arrived at dawn after their vessel was intercepted by a Italian coastguard patrol, officials said.
Authorities are planning to transfer the migrants to a reception centre in Porto Empedocle in Sicily.
Lampedusa, Italy - A large wooden boat carrying 332 would-be immigrants, including 23 women, arrived Wednesday at the Italian islet of Lampedusa, where reception facilities are already stretched, local officials said.
The group, whose nationality was yet to be determined, would bring to over 2,000 the number of migrants on Lampedusa, a spokeswoman for the local mayor said.
Lampedusa, Italy - Around 100 Tunisians protesting expulsion orders served against them by Italian authorities, clashed Wednesday with police and started fires at an immigrant detention centre on the island of Lampedusa.
Several people were injured in the disturbances, with some receiving medical treatment after inhaling fumes from the fires, the ANSA news agency reported.
Relative calm had returned by mid-afternoon, police said.
Lampedusa, Italy - Around 490 would-be immigrants arrived early Saturday on the Italian islet of Lampedusa, placing further strain on what officials say are already overcrowded reception facilities.
A coastguard patrol sighted the main group of 324 would-be immigrants on a vessel adrift some 60 nautical miles from Lampedusa shortly after midnight.
The vessel was escorted to the islet, while a few hours later, another boat with over 200 people on board also managed to reach land.
Lampedusa, Italy - Italy's interior minister said Friday that a meeting with his Group of Eight (G8) counterparts will be held in May on Lampedusa, the Mediterranean islet where thousands of would-be immigrants arrive each year.
"We want the other ministers to understand what it is like living with the phenomenon of illegal immigration," Minister Roberto Maroni said during a visit to Lampedusa.
Lampedusa - Around 350 illegal immigrants arrived on the Italian Mediterranean island of Lampedusa by sea on Friday, bringing the total in the past two days to 800.
Italian coastguard vessels intercepted an unknown number of makeshift craft on Thursday and Friday, which predominantly contained immigrants from Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia, Italian news reports said.
The immigrants have been taken to an already overflowing reception centre on Lampedusa where around 1200 immigrants are currently being held, the reports said.
Lampedusa, Italy - More than 300 would-be migrants landed Thursday on the Italian islet of Lampedusa when three vessels carrying them were escorted to shore by authorities.
Lampedusa, Italy - A large wooden boat carrying 332 would-be immigrants, including 23 women, arrived Wednesday at the Italian islet of Lampedusa, where reception facilities are already stretched, local officials said.
Lampedusa, Italy - Around 490 would-be immigrants arrived early Saturday on the Italian islet of Lampedusa, placing further strain on what officials say are already overcrowded reception facilities.
Lampedusa, Italy - Italy's interior minister said Friday that a meeting with his Group of Eight (G8) counterparts will be held in May on Lampedusa, the Mediterranean islet where thousands of would-be immigrants arrive each year.
Lampedusa - Around 350 illegal immigrants arrived on the Italian Mediterranean island of Lampedusa by sea on Friday, bringing the total in the past two days to 800.
