Migrants: record 35,000 arrivals on Lampedusa in 2021

- ROME, DEC 27 - The prefect of the Sicilian city of Agrigento on December 23 warned that a record 35,000 migrants landed on the island of Lampedusa in 2021, compared to nearly 20,000 in 2020. The island's hotspot has currently reached its capacity limit, the prefect warned.
    The tragedy of the many who are forced to flee war and famine and now a pandemic that in many countries can't be controlled through vaccination campaigns has gained the limelight in Italy during the end-of-year holidays with the sheer force of numbers and images of the distraught faces of those disembarking from rescue ships. The prefect of Agrigento, Maria Rita Cocciufa, has reassured that the number of those who have tested positive for Covid-19 "has so far been quite limited". However, arrivals are continuing, despite the cold weather, also in other areas like southern Sardinia and Spain.
    Record number of arrivals on Lampedusa, prefect says The prefect of Agrigento told an end-of-year press conference that "we have reached some 35,000 arrivals of migrants on Lampedusa. It was an even heavier year than 2020, when we reported nearly 20,000 arrivals".
    "As far as the management of immigrants in relation to Covid is concerned, so far no significant number of infections has been recorded. The number of cases, until now, has been quite contained. Migrants are controlled scrupulously", the prefect told reporters.
    Problems in Agrigento due to growing number of arrivals in the last 2 years Speaking about the growing number of arrivals, Cocciufa went on to say that "we have many concerns over the management of this phenomenon which has taken significant proportions". "Agrigento has always been a province of landings, but objectively over the last two years there has been a growing trend that has created quite a few problems and we are getting organized to safeguard the health of migrants and our citizens", she concluded. "The people of Agrigento, in this respect, are understanding. No intolerance has ever been registered towards migrants - the objective is to give security to citizens and migrants".
    (Picture shows a group of migrants disembarking at Lampedusa's harbour after being rescued at sea. PHOTO/ARCHIVE/ANSA/ELIO DESIDERIO).