Migratory movements resumed after the Tunisian crisis

Last night in the sea around the island of Lampedusa, the doctors of the Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps (CISOM), working with the Italian Coastguards and Customs Police, assisted eleven boats from Tunisia containing 852 immigrants. The latest turmoil and the breakdown of order have forced thousands of people to emigrate. In the past, Libya was the departure point but now the immigration flows are mostly coming from Tunisia with over 3000 people landing on Lampedusa over the last three days.

The Italian Minister of the Interior, Roberto Maroni, stated that “with hundreds of people arriving on the Italian coast from the Maghreb countries, there’s the risk of a real humanitarian emergency “.

The Order of Malta’s Italian relief team gave first-aid to numerous people, including dozens of children, suffering from dehydration and hypothermia. Doctor Livia Caramazza and nurse Giordano Turchi, CISOM volunteers, assisted people in dire straits from the long sea journey under terrible conditions. In one case in particular, a man fell into the sea during the confusion of the rescue operations, but was saved thanks to the prompt action of the police and medical personnel.