State of Emergency Declared on Lampedusa Island Due to Large Influx of Migrants

A state of emergency has been declared on Lampedusa Island, located in the Mediterranean Sea, due to a significant influx of migrants. Over the past three days, more than 8,000 illegal migrants have arrived on the island, according to mayor Filippo Mannino.

Authorities plan to evacuate 2,000 refugees from the island today, sending them to various ports in Sicily. The current number of documented residents in Lampedusa is around 6,000, with a record number of refugees arriving on September 12 alone, exceeding 5,000.

Yesterday, several hundred migrants attempted to breach the police cordon at the Lampedusa port, where migrant ships arrive and rescue operations are conducted, but they were halted by law enforcement officials.