A 25-METRE WOODEN BOAT CARRYING AROUND 400 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM NORTH AFRICA LANDED SUNDAY ON THE ISLAND OF LAMPEDUSA OFF SICILY, DPA REPORTED. THE GROUP, WHICH INCLUDED WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WERE TAKEN TO THE RECEPTION CENTRE ON THE ISLAND. LAMPEDUSA IS WHERE MOST OF ITALY'S ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRIVE. ON FRIDAY, AT LEAST THREE WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS DIED WHEN THE OVERLADEN BOAT THEY WERE TRAVELLING IN CAPSIZED SOME 40 KILOMETRES OFF THE MALTESE COAST. EIGHT WERE REPORTED MISSING, AND A FURTHER 16 WERE RESCUED. SOME OF THEM WERE IN A SERIOUS CONDITION. AS RECENTLY AS THE BEGINNING OF JUNE, 27 PEOPLE DIED IN TWO SIMILAR TRAGEDIES OFF THE COASTS OF MALTA AND SICILY.
