Nearly 100,000 migrants have
landed on Italian shores so far this year, a senior government
official said Wednesday.
Mario Morcone, head of the department of civil liberties
and immigration for the interior ministry, spoke after 17 Syrian
migrants landed on the coast of Sardinia, a day after nine
others arrived on the Italian island.
He said the total arrivals are already up to about 98,000
migrants.
"These are people, not in Italy for tourism but from
despair," he said in a radio interview.
"Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, many of them
continue to lose their lives in the crossings," Morcone added.
Officials have estimated that as many as 65,000 migrants
have been rescued in Italian waters this year through the
county's Mare Nostrum program which was established last fall to
try to save migrants who flee to Europe from North Africa on
rickety vessels that are often not safe.
Many are victims of human smugglers and on Tuesday, police
arrested two men they say were responsible for the craft
carrying the 1,700 migrants which included hundreds of children.
Most are fleeing conflicts in the Middle East and North
Africa and are so desperate to find safety in Europe that they
make the risky crossing.
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