Boat carrying 300 illegal immigrants intercepted off Sicily

An Italian Navy ship intercepted a rickety boat crammed with more than 300 illegal immigrants off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa this morning, port authorities in Palermo said.

The 321 people aboard the wooden, 33-foot-long boat included eight minors.

The nationality of the immigrants was unknown, but they appeared to be from North Africa. They were transferred to a holding centre on Lampedusa, where their identities were being checked, officials said.

All appeared to be in fairly good health, authorities said.

The Italian ship spotted the boat of immigrants about 4.5 miles south of Lampedusa, and it was hauled to shore about 5am with help from two boats from the Coast Guard and one from Italy’s financial police.

Every year, thousands of people reach Italy’s coasts and then try to make their way up the peninsula to find work or family in continental Europe. If they do not have proof of a job awaiting them in Italy, they are ordered expelled, although many never leave, authorities say.

Italy has been trying to stem the flow at its starting point, encouraging Libya and other north African countries to crack down on smugglers who make lucrative runs carrying boatloads of illegal immigrants to Italy.