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Lampedusa

Lampedusa is a small, idyllic Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. It's also "the door to Europe" for migrantsheaded north from nearby Africa.

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All Content on this topic

Coast guard officers wait for migrants to disembark, in the southern Calabria region, Italy, on October 27, 2022

Italy finds 6 bodies off Sicily coast: reports

The decomposed bodies are believed to be migrants, whose boat capsized earlier this week in Libyan waters.
MigrationSeptember 8, 2024
African migrants living under difficult conditions in olive forests in the town of Amra in the Tunisian city of Sfax

Tunisia: Thousands of migrants 'dumped' in the desert

Rights groups say the Tunisian authorities are conducting illegal "collective expulsions" of migrants, with EU funds.
PoliticsMay 25, 2024
Two women in brightly colored safety vests, one holding a photo and the other a painting, both depicting migrants in boats at sea

Asylum-seekers: Is EU-Tunisia like UK-Rwanda?

While Tunisia is a trusted ally for curbing migration to Europe, rights observers don't consider it a "safe" place.
PoliticsApril 26, 2024
A sub-Saharan migrant sweeps the street in Tunis, Tunisia on August 25, 2023, as a toddler in diapers looks on

Tunisia's 2024 election: What role will migration play?

What impact is the so-called EU migration deal having and how might it affect President Saied's chances of reelection?
PoliticsDecember 15, 2023
Symbolbild I Flucht und Migration

AfricaLink on Air — 27 September 2023

DW's AfricaLink Special Edition: Migrant Crisis – What Is the EU's Position on African Migration?
PoliticsSeptember 27, 202329:59 min
Rescue boat carrying migrants moves along the shore of the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Thousands of migrants arrive on Lampedusa

DW's Christine Mhundwa recently returned from Italy, where she spoke to migrants on Lampedusa.
MigrationSeptember 26, 202303:29 min
On the morning of 23 August 2023, civil search and rescue organization SOS Humanity rescued around 60 people from distress in the central Mediterranean Sea.

Italy's Meloni complains to Scholz over migrant NGO funds

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she learned with "astonishment" of a German plan to fund two migrant NGOs.
PoliticsSeptember 25, 2023
An Italian Coast Guard vessel carrying migrants rescued at sea passes between tourist boats, on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, Italy, September 18, 2023

Germany criticizes late change to EU migrant reforms

The foreign minister warned Berlin won't back plans to allow more flexibility during periods of large-scale migration.
PoliticsSeptember 24, 2023
DW To the point |

Migration crisis: What solutions do politicians have?

With ever more migrants on the move, governments seem helpless to act. Do right-wing populists gain?
PoliticsSeptember 21, 202326:06 min
Ursula von der Leyen (L) and Giorgia Meloni during their joint press conference

EU chief visits Lampedusa, outlines migrant action plan

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a plan to help Italy deal with a surge in migrant arrivals.
MigrationSeptember 17, 202302:49 min
Ursula Von Der Leyen (left) with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a press conference

Migrants on Lampedusa: Italy, EU announce action plan

The Italian prime minister and European Commission president visited the island after a surge in migrant arrivals.
MigrationSeptember 17, 2023
People wait at the port to be transferred to the mainland

EU and Italian leaders visit Lampedusa amid migrant spike

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Italy's premier Giorgia Meloni have visited Italy's southernmost island.
PoliticsSeptember 17, 2023
Migrants gather in the harbour of Italian island of Lampedusa

Lampedusa: Is an EU naval blockade possible?

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has called for a naval mission to stem migration. But maritime law would limit its reach.
PoliticsSeptember 17, 2023
Migrants arrive at the harbor of Lampedusa island in Italy

EU scrambles to address Italy island migrant surge

The spike in arrivals has rekindled the debate over how Europe shares responsibility for asylum-seekers.
PoliticsSeptember 16, 202302:08 min
Migrants wait in line to board a ferry to Sicily.

Pressure eases as migrant transfer from Lampedusa begins

The recent arrival of more than 7,000 migrants has overwhelmed the Italian island of Lampedusa.
MigrationSeptember 16, 202302:06 min
Migrants sleeping huddled together on the ground

Lampedusa: 'Operational emergency,' not 'migration crisis'

DW reports from the Italian island, where locals are showing compassion as conditions worsen for refugees.
Human RightsSeptember 16, 2023
Migrants wait at the port to be transferred to the mainland, on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, Italy, September 15, 2023.

Italy rushes to relocate thousands of new Lampedusa arrivals

Italy was attempting to transfer some 3,000 migrants from the island of Lampedusa in one day.
PoliticsSeptember 15, 2023
A view of migrants waiting in groups on the island of Lampedusa

Italy declares migrant emergency on island of Lampedusa

Lampedusa is under a state of emergency after more than 6,000 migrants arrived within 24 hours.
PoliticsSeptember 14, 202302:39 min
Rescue workers bring migrants ashore at Dover, UK, after a boat carrying migrants from France sunk in the English Channel on August 12, 2023,

Migrant boats sink in Mediterranean, English Channel

A baby was one of two victims off the coast of Tunisia. Six Afghan nationals died when their boat sank off France.
MigrationAugust 12, 2023
An image of the remains of a boat that capsized off the coast of Lampedusa in 2019

Italy: Migrant shipwreck off Lampedusa leaves 41 dead

More than 40 people have been killed after a migrant vessel sank, survivors of the shipwreck told Italian media.
MigrationAugust 9, 2023
The Italian coastguard on Lampedusa

Eight asylum seekers killed off Italian island of Lampedusa

The coastguard was able to save 42 people on the vessel that had gone adrift.
MigrationFebruary 3, 2023
The German-flagged Humanity 1 vessel in the Mediterranean

Rescue ships carrying over 500 people land in Italy

The two vessels were allowed to dock amid bad weather despite antagonism from Italian authorities.
Human RightsDecember 11, 2022
Carola Rackete in Italy

Italy drops Carola Rackete charges

In 2019, captain Carola Rackete was detained after she entered the Italian port of Lampedusa with 40 migrants on board.
Law and JusticeDecember 23, 2021
In this frame taken from video, a fishing boat with migrants is docked at the port of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, late Monday, Sept. 27, 2021.

Italy: Record number of migrants arrive on Lampedusa

Numbers of migrant arrivals in Lampedusa are way up, including more than 500 on one boat late Monday.
MigrationSeptember 28, 2021
The Italian Coast Guard uses an inflatable raft to rescue migrants stuck on the shore of the Isola dei Conigli island

Italian coast guard rescues migrants near Lampedusa

Italy's coast guard rescued over 100 migrants from an uninhabited isle opposite a popular beach.
MigrationSeptember 9, 2021
Migrants arrive on a boat in the Italian island of Lampedusa on July 29, 2020.

Tunisian migrants turn to 'self-smuggling'

Instead of paying human traffickers, increasing numbers of Tunisians are organizing their own journeys to Europe.
MigrationAugust 11, 2021
A boat sailing of the shore of Lampedusa

Over 1,000 migrants arrive on Italian island

Several dangerously overcrowded boats reached the island of Lampedusa as migrant routes resume amid better weather.
SocietyMay 9, 2021
Italien Corona-Pandemie | Migranten werden von Lampedusa verlegt

Italy removes 2,500 asylum seekers from Lampedusa camp

The migrants, 220 of whom were infected with COVID-19, will quarantine on large ferries before disembarking in Sicily.
PoliticsSeptember 9, 2020
Migrants and aid workers in Lampedusa

Italian mayor urges 'strike' over migrant arrivals

Lampedusa is struggling to cope with the influx of migrants which pushed its only reception center to its limits.
PoliticsAugust 30, 2020
The rescue ship Alan Kurdi

Italy to move 'Alan Kurdi' migrants to another ship

The privately owned German rescue vessel has been stranded for days, with Berlin piling pressure on Rome.
Human RightsApril 12, 2020
People carrying migrants bodies ashore

Drowned infant hugged by 'mother' near Lampedusa

Italian coast guard divers were struck to find a drowned migrant infant still embraced his presumed mother.
PoliticsOctober 18, 2019
Coffins containing the bodies of refugees drowned at sea in Lampedusa Harbor in Italy

Death toll rises after migrant ship sinks in Mediterranean

The bodies of 13 women were recovered as authorities continue to search for missing passengers in the Mediterranean.
CatastropheOctober 7, 2019
A newborn baby is carried onto the Ocean Viking

Ocean Viking rescue total stands at 109 migrants

The charity vessel's mission continued, as a second operation brought the total number of people rescued to 109.
PoliticsSeptember 18, 2019
The Spanish rescue ship Open Arms off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa

Italy allows 'Open Arms' migrants to disembark

Italy has allowed over 80 migrants stranded on a Spanish migrant rescue vessel near Lampedusa to disembark.
SocietyAugust 21, 2019
A still image taken from a video shows migrants attempting to swim ashore after jumping off the Spanish rescue ship Open Arms.

Migrant rescue group criticizes Spain's Mallorca offer

The migrant rescue charity rejected Spain's offer to dock in the Balearics, citing an "urgent" and "inhumane" situation.
PoliticsAugust 19, 2019
Migrants rest onboard of the NGO Sea-Eye's vessel 'Alan Kurdi'

German migrant rescue ship heads for Italy

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has accused Germany of "blackmail" in the refugee resettlement issue.
PoliticsAugust 1, 2019
Süd Sudan Präsident Salva Kiir

AfricaLink on Air - 09 July 2019

South Sudan marks Independence Day without celebrations+++ Nigerian writer Lesley Arimah wins the 2019 Caine prize
PoliticsJuly 9, 201929:59 min
Sea-eye crew with migrants

Sea-Eye migrants allowed to disembark in Malta

The 65 migrants on board German-flagged rescue ship Alan Kurdi have been taken ashore to Malta.
Human RightsJuly 7, 2019
Rescue Ship Alan Kurdi near Libya

Malta bans Sea-Eye rescue ship from its waters

Malta officials have denied rescue ship Alan Kurdi access to their waters to prevent it from docking at their ports.
PoliticsJuly 7, 2019
Crew aboard the Alan Kurdi rescue migrants at sea

German rescue ship heads to Malta

Sea-Eye has called on Europe to intervene in Italy's hard-line measures, saying "human lives are not a bargaining chip."
PoliticsJuly 7, 2019
Sudan Karthoum | Demonstranten feiern nach einigung von Generälen und Protestführern

AfricaLink on Air - 05 July 2019

Sudan protesters celebrate power-sharing deal to end political unrest ++Fresh protests over disputed elections in Malawi
PoliticsJuly 5, 201929:59 min
People going to shore in Lampedusa from a boat operated by Italian authorities

Italian coast guard brings ashore migrants

The Italian coast guard safely landed 55 migrants on the island of Lampedusa after rescuing them from nearby waters.
CatastropheJuly 5, 2019
Sea-Watch in Berlin

Sea rescuers slam 'shameful' German, EU refugee policy

Sea-Watch has accused the EU of deliberately allowing dangerous standoffs over migrants at its Mediterranean ports.
Law and JusticeJuly 2, 2019
Sea Watch off the Sicilian coast

Sea-Watch captain arrested as ship docks at Lampedusa

The German migrant rescue ship entered the port without permission after more than two weeks stranded at sea.
SocietyJune 29, 2019
Podcast Inside Europe

Inside Europe 27.06.2019

Climate change and Europe's searing heatwave - The Czech prime minister survives a no-confidence vote – An unprecedented defeat for the Turkish president - Swedes swap planes for trains for their summer holidays – A migrant rescue vessel ignores Italian ban – Alcohol sales in Scotland reach record low – Greece’s scam culture – And summer picks for good books.
PoliticsJune 28, 201955:00 min
Italien Sea Watch 3 Rettungsaktion vor Lampedusa

Inside Europe: Rescue boat ignores Italian ban

The rescue boat Sea Watch 3 has sailed into Italian territorial waters after spending two weeks in limbo at sea, off Lampedusa. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tried to ban the vessel from approaching under a "closed ports" policy. But despite that, there's been no let-up in the arrival of migrants in Lampedusa and people say this new decree makes the sea deadlier. Irene Caselli reports.
PoliticsJune 28, 201906:50 min
Sea-Watch 3

Sea-Watch waits with migrants off Italy

The German Sea-Watch 3 has come closer to the island of Lampedusa, but remains unable to land 42 rescued passengers.
PoliticsJune 27, 2019
Cuban refugees in 1994

Humanity's history of migration by sea

When are refugees welcome — and when not? Historian Erik Lindner takes a look back to discover answers to the question.
CultureJune 3, 2019
The Mare Jonio migrant rescue ship docked in Lampedusa

Italy seizes migrant rescue boat Mare Jonio

Interior Minister Salvini had denied the ship access to Italian ports, but relented to bring aid workers to trial.
PoliticsMarch 20, 2019
Italien Lampedusa - Touristenparadies mit Schiffsfriedhof

Tourism is booming again on Lampedusa

After a slump, tourists have begun returning famous for being a migrant hotspot.
TravelAugust 29, 2018