Lampedusa immigrant reception center

A total of 296 migrants and refugees arrived on the island of Lampedusa last night.

Meanwhile, during the previous day, 487 people arrived on this small island south of Sicily.

At least eight people are feared to have died after a Tunisian warship collided with a migrant boat heading towards Italy on Monday morning, The Local reported.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has warned that Africa’s population explosion will overwhelm Europe unless the continent makes it more difficult for migrants to reach its shores.

The Italian coastguard launched a massive operation on Feb. 15 to rescue more than 2,000 migrants in difficulty between the Italian island of Lampedusa and the Libyan coast, local media said.
      

More than 300 migrants were feared drowned on Feb. 11 after their overcrowded dinghies sank in the Mediterranean, the latest boat disaster on the perilous crossing from Africa to Europe.
      
The victims were among migrants mainly from sub-Saharan Africa who had left the coast of Libya at the weekend in four small boats, the UN refugee agency said.
      

The number of illegal immigrants entering the European Union more than doubled last year with 75% of them having arrived through the Mediterranean Sea, the EU migration commissioner has said.

By Andrew Frye

he European Union will take the lead in the Mediterranean Sea’s immigration crisis, relieving the Italian navy of primary responsibility for patrolling the waters and rescuing migrant boats in distress.