More than 100,000 people have reached the Italian coast by boat since the beginning of the year. This is more than double compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of the Interior in Rome on Wednesday.
As of yesterday / Tuesday, there are 100,938 boat migrants who have arrived in Italy since January 1, 2023. In 2022, there were 48,295 people in that period. There were also a significant number of unaccompanied minors among migrants this year: 10,290 to be exact.
record year?
According to the ministry, this is the largest number of arrivals since 2017. If the current trend continues, Italy will break the 2016 record. Then more than 181,000 people arrived in the country via the Mediterranean.
In 2023, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt and Tunisia will be the countries of origin for boat migrants.
killing
Migrants trying to reach Italy from Africa leave mainly from Tunisia and Libya. However, crossing the Mediterranean Sea is particularly dangerous, often resulting in fatal accidents. According to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 2,096 people have already gone missing in the Mediterranean this year and may have drowned.
Immigration has been one of the major political issues in Italy for many years. The current right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared a state of emergency in April. At the European level, Italy is trying to conclude agreements with North African countries to prevent migrant boats from leaving for the European Union.
Read also: A last hug before they die of deprivation in the Libyan desert: the heartbreaking image of a mother and daughter in no man’s land after forced deportation
Unlimited free access to Showbytes? which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
