Italian authorities carried out three rescue operations near the island of Lampedusa over the past few hours, leading to the arrival of 65 irregular migrants who had departed from Libya aboard small boats crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
According to the Italian news agency ANSAmed, the rescue operations were conducted by patrol boats affiliated with the Italian Coast Guard, the Financial Police, and the European Union border agency Frontex.
Italian authorities said the migrant boats had departed from the western Libyan coastal cities of Sabratha, Qasr Garabulli, and Homs. The migrants included nationals from several countries, including Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Algeria, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ethiopia.
After arriving at Favarolo dock on Lampedusa island, the migrants underwent initial identification procedures and medical examinations before being transferred to the reception centre in Contrada Imbriacola.
Officials said the centre is currently hosting around 140 migrants following the latest arrivals.
Italian authorities also announced plans to transfer 75 migrants from the island to Porto Empedocle in Sicily by ferry as part of efforts to reduce overcrowding at the Lampedusa reception facility.
Libya remains one of the main departure points for irregular migration toward Europe, particularly from coastal areas in the country’s west. Human smuggling networks continue to operate across Libya despite repeated security operations and international efforts aimed at curbing illegal migration routes through the Mediterranean.
The central Mediterranean route is considered one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors, with migrants frequently risking dangerous sea crossings aboard overcrowded and poorly equipped boats.
European authorities and international organisations have repeatedly expressed concern over the continued rise in migration flows departing from Libya, alongside ongoing humanitarian and security challenges linked to migrant smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the region.
Italian authorities continue to coordinate with European agencies and Mediterranean rescue units to monitor migration movements and manage arrivals on southern Italian islands, particularly Lampedusa, which remains at the forefront of migrant reception operations in the Mediterranean.