19,000 migrants in Italy in May - Frontex

Double April but 5-mth total roughly in line with 2015

16 JUNE, 12:19



(ANSAmed) - Brussels, June 16 - The number of migrants who landed in Italy in the first five months of the year was roughly in line with the same period in 2015, Frontex border-protection agency said Thursday. But in May some 19,00 arrived, more than double the total in April, because of the growing number of migrants from west Africa and the Horn of Africa, it said. For the second month in a row the number of people arriving in Italy from Libya and Egypt surpassed the arrivals in Greece, where thanks to an EU-Turkey deal the number fell to 1,500, 60% down.

The EU-Turkey deal virtually shut down the Balkan Route through Greece. Many more migrants are expected from North Africa this summer despite fighting in Libya.

19,000 migrants landed in Italy in May, Frontex