Italy acts to reduce migrant overcrowding on Lampedusa

(Fabio Peonia/LaPresse via AP)

Italian officials have chartered more ferries and put other measures in place to fight severe overcrowding at migrant centres on the tiny island of Lampedusa, where the arrival of 450 migrants on a rickety fishing boat triggered protests by islanders.

Meanwhile, a fire triggered an explosion on Sunday on smuggling boat off southern Italy, tossing 21 migrants into the sea and killing at least three of them, the local prefect’s office said.