Over the lengthy Easter weekend, no fewer than 2,000 migrants arrived by boat on the Italian island of Lampedusa off the coast of North Africa, according to a Tuesday report from Italy’s ANSA news agency.
Between Friday and Monday, the authorities noted more than 40 disembarkations. Many of the visitors were young people.
On Monday night, the Italian coast guard conducted two rescue missions.
According to ANSA, a fishing vessel carrying about 800 passengers was discovered off the coast of Sicily and is currently docked in the port of Catania on the east side of the island.
400 people were found aboard a second overloaded boat that was also found.
Shipwrecks happened to several of the travelers.