May 27/31

1700* sSAfricans

(ANSA  27./28./31.5./1.6.,

NZZ 28.5., ToM 27./28.5.)

Pozzallo (Sicily): Arrival of over 963 sSAfricans from Libya. 9 North Africans arrested for trafficking

(NZZ 31.5., ANSA 31.5./1.6.)

Pantelleria: Arrival of 55 Tunisians

(ANSA 27.5., NZZ 28.5.)

 May 28:  Maroni accuses Malta of "washing its hands" of 209 refugees landing at Lampedusa on May 28

(ToM 29./30.5., ANSA 1.6.)

Malta rejects charge. Italian assets closer to Lampedusa, plus close coordination with Italian and Tunisian coast guards

(ToM 29./30.5.)

Maroni reports Malta to the EU over May 28 incident  (ToM 30.5./4.6.)

Pozzallo (Sicily): Arrival of 70 migrants; 3 Egyptians arrested for trafficking (ANSA 20./21.5.)

May 23/24: Lampedusa visit of the European Council's Ad Hoc Sub-Committee investigating large-scale arrivals

(Report published 3 October)

May 19/20

708 sSAfricans

20 Tunisians

(ANSA 19./20.5.)

Trapani (Sicily): 14 Tunisians rescued, 3 drown

(ANSA 19./20.5.)

May 19: 347 "Asian" and African oil workers from Libya rescued by AFM

(ToM 19./20.5.)

3 Tunisians drowned at Mazara del Vallo (Trapani)

(ANSA/FE 19./20.5.)

Malmström announces resettlement agreement with 14 Schengen states for 323 Malta refugees  (ToM 19.5.)

Tunisian Coast Guard stops 222 Libyan refugees off Djerba (ANSA 15.5.)

Malta refuses to participate in FRONTEX missions in its region. Disagreement on disembarkation rules  (ToM 15.5.)

Tunisian Coast Guard rescues (and stops) 222 migrants from Libya outside of Djerba (ANSA 15.5.)

May 12/14

1700* sSAfricans

218 Tunisians

(CdS/ToM 13./14.5., NZZ 14.5., ANSA 13./14.5.)

Licata (Sicily): Arrival of 213 sSAfricans from Libya (ANSA/NZZ 14.5.)

EU Home Affairs Meeting on Common Asylum System & Burden sharing (Pledges Conference). Maroni slams FRONTEX inaction (ToM 12.5.)

EU Com. Vice-Pr. Antonio Tajani calls for "European solution" (ToM 12.5.)

"Maltempo blocca sbarchi"

(ANSA 10.5.)

UNHCR: 1200 "Libyans" missing this year

(PA 10.5., ANSA 13.5.)

[11.5. Lampedusa landing: FE reports the sacrifice of 5 migrants to tame rough sea; see 30.11. court decision]

[10.5. FE reports 17 Tunisians drowned off Cape Zebib]

Interpol-FRONTEX cooperation planned

(ToM 11./12.5.)

Maroni: April Italy-Tunisia accord to stop refugee departures functions (PdT 11.5.)

 "Berlin" tells "Rome" to stop complaining about the refugee problem (ANSA 10.5.)

UNHCR appeals to European countries to step up rescue efforts for people fleeing Libya, warning that hundreds have drowned in recent weeks (TTP 10.5.).

May 5/8

1600* sSAfricans

100 Tunisians

(ANSA/CdS 5.-8.5.,

 NZZ 6./9.5., ToM 7./8.5.)

Pantelleria: Arrival of 30 Tunisians

(ANSA 9.5.)

May 8: 3 casualties after dramatic rescue off Lampedusa of 528 sSAfricans by "human chain" of volunteers and officials (ANSA 8.5., NZZ 9.5.)

May 6: A boat with 600 migrants sinks off Tripoli; UNHCR speculates that up 1000 might be missing and promises to investigate; FE reports 16 dead and 32 missing.

(ANSA/FE/HCR 7.5., NZZ 9.5., ToM 10.5.)

Malta rejects Italian media accusations of passivity in the case of 600 refugees disembarking at Lampedusa the end of April. No distress, no  help requested

(ToM 8./9.5.)

IOM ship transfers 1000 refugees from Misurata to Benghazi (ANSA 5.5.)

May 2: Italian Amb. sees Maltese F.M. Tonio Borg over 30.4. "failure to rescue" (ANSA 1.5., ToM 1.-3.5.)