This archive report was first published on 21 September 2019.
As the window for crossing into Europe before winter closes, a significant increase in migrant arrivals has been reported in Italy, with many going undetected.
According to the Repubblica daily, over 6,620 people have arrived in Italy since the start of 2019, with 5,500 of them arriving autonomously, without being spotted or needing assistance.
"We are starting to see not just Tunisians but also sub-Saharans on the boats that arrive autonomously," said Agrigento prosecutor Salvatore Vella in an interview with the Stampa daily.
Experts attribute the rise to a change in the business model of traffickers, who are now using Tunisia as a departure point and smaller, faster boats for the 14 to 16-hour crossing.
"We think that there are new routes, no longer from Libya but from Tunisia, where the sea crossing is easier because it is shorter and you can do it in small boats, with minimal risk," said Vella.
Interior ministers from Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and Malta will meet in Valletta on Monday to discuss an automatic system to distribute those rescued in the central Mediterranean.
However, it remains unclear whether such a deal will apply to those who arrive on the so-called "phantom" boats, which have been going undetected.
