Hundreds of migrants reach Italy

MILAN: Five boats carrying hundreds of migrants landed in Lampedusa after being intercepted by Italian authorities off the coast of the Mediterranean island, it was reported yesterday.

Lampedusa is one of the main landing points on the route for migrants departing mostly from Tunisia and Libya to reach Europe.

“Migrants arrivals are resuming alongside good weather”, said Lampedusa mayor Toto Martello. “We need to restart discussions about the immigration issue,” he said.

One of the boats, carrying 325 people, was intercepted 12.8km off Lampedusa. An Italian tax police vessel escorted a second boat with 90 people to the island. Three more boats carrying 98, 16 and 400 migrants of various nationalities docked yesterday.