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Police on the Italian island of Lampedusa wait for a boat carrying the bodies of eight migrants to arrive at the port on February 3. File photo via Concetta Rizzo/EPA-EFE
March 25 (United Press International) — More than 2,000 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa in 24 hours, officials said Saturday, setting a new record for arrivals at the famous destination.
An Italian official said there were 1,778 people arrive There were 267 people on the island on Friday and Saturday. Lampedusa is a common landing place for migrants seeking to enter the European Union.
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The number of migrants arriving in Italy has more than tripled in the first two months of 2023.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni blamed the rising figure on the unstable political situation in Tunisia, about 200 miles west of the Mediterranean Sea.
“900,000 people will arrive in Italy, which Italy cannot welcome,” Meloni told the European Council this week. According to CNNwhile calling for cooperation with European partners to accept migrants and help stem departures from Turkey, Libya and Tunisia.
Charities rescued many boats on Saturday, but under new Italian government rules, the NGOs could face fines for breaching the code of conduct.
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