SICILY— On JULY 24, 2022, 674 immigrants were rescued on a crowded fishing boat off the coast of Calabria, Italy. Five people were found dead.

Then, on Saturday, 522 were rescued from 15 boats and brought to Lampedusa.

The boats had left from Libya and Tunisia. Since Lampedusa is a popular place for European immigrants to land, it is not surprising that it is the point at which they will enter Europe.

Those who were rescued were from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia. They were travelling the Mediterranean route to Europe. The Mediterranean is one of the most dangerous routes travelers can take by ship. A total of 3,231 people were dead or missing after taking this route in 2021.