(AKI) - At least 600 illegal immigrants arrived to the southern Italian coast on Thursday aboard three vessels. The would-be migrants arrived to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, said Palermo's port authorities and were being rescued by Finance Police and Italian Coast Guard authorities.The arrival of the immigrants follow a previous one on Wednesday, when at least 250 immigrants arrived to Lampedusa.
More than 22,500 illegal immigrants have landed on Lampedusa so far this year - more than twice the number that arrived over the same period of 2007, according to remarks by Italian Interior Ministry Roberto Maroni.
Last week, hundreds of illegal immigrants were airlifted from the southern Italian island of Lampedusa to temporary reception centres on the mainland. The move was taken after the arrival on Lampedusa of over 1,000 illegal immigrants in 12 separate landings, which left the island's identification and holding centre overflowing.
The number of illegal migrants heading for southern Mediterranean countries such as Italy aboard people traffickers' boats surges during the warmer months from April to October.
Lampedusa is a tiny island that is closer to Africa than the European continent and a favourite drop off point for the people smugglers. Hundreds arrive each week in search of a better life in Europe aboard people smugglers' boats which mostly set sail from North Africa.