Lampedusa air bridge ferries out more than 600 migrants

(ANSA) Rome, February 20 - An Italian Air Force air bridge transferring migrants from the tiny island of Lampedusa to the mainland continued for a fifth day Friday, taking the total number of people flown out to 622, officials said.
    The flights were designed to relieve pressure on the reception centres of the island after some 2000 migrants from Libya were rescued in the wake of the Isis extremist forces' capture of the Libyan region of Sirte.
    In all 622 people were transferred from the island by Friday aboard C-130J transport aircraft of the Pisa-based 46th Air Brigade.