Italy releases overcrowded Lampedusa reception center

Italy has started transferring migrants from Lampedusa to Sicily. The refuge on the island of Lampedusa was built for 350 residents. A former mayor of Lampedusa reported yesterday on Facebook that the number of inhabitants had increased to 2100.

“Even women, children, the sick and the needy sleep on the ground, wherever they eat among the garbage,” she writes. “There are less than 200 beds.”

She also added photos. It shows residents lying on foam mattresses in a heavily polluted environment. “It could be photos from Libya,” wrote the former mayor. “No, it’s Italy.”

The Interior Ministry then sent a navy ship to transfer the first 600 migrants to Sicily. From there they spread further throughout Italy. The center of Lampedusa must be completely emptied by Monday. It is not clear if it will be returned to service afterwards.

According to the Interior Ministry, 30,000 migrants have already crossed North Africa by boat to Italy this year. At the same time last year, there were 22,700 and the previous year 7,500. Some of these migrants arrive in Lampedusa, which is closest to Libya.

It is a dangerous journey, for which migrants have paid smugglers hundreds of dollars.