Two boats from Libya intercepted by the Italian Coast Guard, with women and children among the rescued passengers
The numbers: two boats, 191 lives in limbo
The migrant landings in Lampedusa continue, with the island once again at the center of one of the Mediterranean’s most dramatic routes. In the past hours, 191 people were rescued by the Italian Coast Guard aboard two patrol boats. These were men, women and children fleeing from countries plagued by war, poverty and political instability.
The first vessel carried 115 migrants from Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan, including 23 women and 7 minors. The second boat had 76 people on board from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Morocco and Pakistan, among them 1 woman and 5 children.
From Libya with $5,000 and a dream
Survivors reported that they had departed from Zouara and Sabratah in Libya, paying smugglers about $5,000 each to cross the sea. These are the steep fees demanded by human traffickers, who routinely send overloaded boats into international waters, indifferent to the risks.
The testimonies confirm once again the dangerous role of Libya as a hub of human trafficking, and the desperate conditions of those who risk everything to reach Europe.
An emergency that can’t be postponed
Lampedusa remains the first port of call on the central Mediterranean route. The arrival of unaccompanied minors and women on fragile boats underscores the urgency for coordinated European action, including humanitarian corridors and effective asylum procedures.
Each rescue mission is more than just a news item—it’s a cry for help and a reminder that migration policy must be about people, not just numbers.
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