It often serves as the initial destination for many migrants aiming to reach the European Union Lampedusa Mayor Filippo Mannino told Italy's RTL 102.5 radio that in the last 48 hours, approximately 7,000 people have arrived in Lampedusa, a place that has traditionally welcomed them with open arms. He emphasized that the island has now reached a critical juncture, facing a crisis.Matteo Villa from the ISPI think tank described the number of arrivals over 48 hours on the island as an "absolute record. "Cots were set up both inside and outside the Lampedusa center for overnight accommodation, while during the day, others sought shelter from the sun's heat in the shade between the buildings.Some young men ventured into Lampedusa's historic town center, with a few scaling the high perimeter fence. An AFP photographer found some of them waiting in line for ice cream on Wednesday evening, with several expressing hunger.Most of the migrants arriving on Lampedusa are rescued at sea by the coastguard from fragile boats. A spokesperson for the commission emphasized their readiness to support Italy.So far this year, almost 126,000 migrants have arrived on Italy's shores, surpassing the 66,500 arrivals during the same period last year.
