April 28/May 1

3000* sSAfricans from Libya

(CdS 29./30.4., NZZ 1.5.,

ANSA/ToM 29./30.4./1.5.)

April 29/30: AFM coordinates difficult GC rescue of 600 refugees with US Navy’s 6^th fleet HQ and merchant ships. Disembarkation at Lampedusa

(ToM 30.4., 1./2.5., CdS/FE/AJ 30.4.)

[20.9. FE reports 10 dead in failed Tripoli departure on 28.4.]

[21.5. FE reports 330 missing in two boats off Libya on 28.4.]

Italy to issue diplomatic protest regarding April 29/30 AFM-coordinated rescue effort

(ToM 2.5., ANSA/CdS 1.5.)

Siracusa (Sicily): Arrival of 51 migrants; arrest of susp. traffickers (ANSA 22.4.)

April 19/20

900* sSAfricans from Libya

50 Tunisians

(ANSA 19.4.,

 ToM/NZZ 19./20.4.)

Pozzallo (Sicily): two boats with 302 refugees from Libya

(NZZ 20.4.)

Licata (Sicily): one boat with 54 refugees from Libya (NZZ 20.4.)

Pantelleria: 36 Tunisians saved by GC when abandoned by traffickers (ANSA 19./20.4.)

"Short bad weather spell"

(ANSA 15.4.)

[11.5. FE report: The Tunisian government announces that during April they discovered the bodies of 58 drowned Tunisian migrants]

Italy protests as France blocks migrants’ train (ToM 18.4.)

April 8/15

1000* sSAfricans from Libya

500* Tunisians

(ANSA 8.-15.4., NZZ 15.4.)

Pantelleria: Arrival of 250 sSAfricans; two women die in disembarkation

(ANSA 13.4.)

Pantelleria: Arrival of 62 Afghans

(ANSA 9.4.)

Rocella Jonica (Calabria): 84 "Asians" intercepted by GdF, two Ukrainian arrested for trafficking

(ANSA 8.4.)

Pantelleria: Arrival of 48 sSAfricans; three arrested for trafficking (ANSA 8.4.)

April 12: 116 sSAfricans rescued by AFM after one week at sea

 (ToM 12./13./17.4.,

ANSA 12.4.)

April 8: Debarkation of 171 sSAfricans (ToM 8.4.)

Two casualties in Pantelleria disembarkation 

UNHCR: 800 “Libyans” missing this year (ANSA 12.4.)

***

In this period there are three possibly related reports about missing sSAfricans off Libya:

[FE reports 500 missing on 13.4.]

ToM/UNHCR report 370 missing for 20 days on 10.4.

[FE: reports 250 missing and 68 dead on 3.4]

***

These reports indicate that in late March and early April the situation off Libya was chaotic. It is also possible that some of the incidents are related to subsequent reports about NATO failing to rescue migrants (63 dead, nine survivors) later investigated by PACE

(Guardian 8./9.5., ANSA 9.5., ToM 10.5., PACE investigation 23.6., 29.11.,

MaS 12.1.12., PACE report 29.3.12)

First 160 Tunisians flown back under Italian-Tunisian agreement of April 6 (ANSA 14.4., PdT 15.4.)

"Malta, Italy put aside differences" on margin of EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting (ToM 13.4.)

April 13: Berlusconi assumes responsibility for April 6 incident with 250 missing 

(ToM 19.4.)

April 12/13: Barroso in Tunis (PdT 13.4.)

The EU JHA Council discusses Mediterranean migration management and decides to extend EUREMA pilot project resettling Maltese refugees

EU JHA 11.4.

Cecilia Malmström refuses to trigger "solidarity mechanism" tied to 2008 resettlement directive (ToM 9.4.)

Malta accuses Italy of neglecting obligations in April 8 disembarkation of 171 sSAfricans giving full details

(ToM 9.4.)

April 7: 171 sSAfricans rescued by AFM; Italy prevents Lampedusa  debarkation

(ToM 8.-10.4., ANSA 8.4.)

April 6: Overloaded fishing boat with 300 sSAfricans capsizes off Lampedusa; 53 rescued by GC in stormy sea; AFM coordination; complicated operation; 20 dead, 250 missing

(NZZ/NYT/HCR 6.4.; ToM 7.4.)

France protests Italian Schengen permits for Tunisians

(ToM 8.4., PdT 7.4.)

Lampedusa camp emptying (ANSA 8.4.)

Malta rejects Maroni accusations giving details (ToM 7.4.)

Maroni: 250 victims drowned in Maltese waters (NZZ 7.4.)

(Berlusconi drops accusation on April 19)

April 4: Berlusconi & Maroni in Tunis: April 6: Signature of Italian-Tunisian Migration Agreement (ANSA 4.4., PdT 6.4.)

April 4

600* Tunisians

(NZZ/ToM 4.4.)

* approximate figure

April 4./5.: TCG rescues 42 off Gabès (PdT 5.4.)

"4-day hiatus" (ToM 4.4.)

Maroni: Failing EU cooperation, Italy will give North African migrants permits to roam Europe (ANSA 1.4.)