Many migrants seek to reach Europe's borders, and attempts increase during the summer months. The Italian island of Lampedusa is a preferred destination for many migrants setting off from North Africa to Italy and Malta via the perilous Mediterranean route. The island is located in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Tunisia, 170 km southwest of Sicily, and administratively belongs to Italy as part of the province of Agrigento in Sicily.
Since the summer of 2019, Danish patrols have been deployed in Greece, and in 2020 on the island of Symi to assist Frontex, but they have now been moved to Lampedusa in Italy due to the large number of migrants arriving on the island.
Five Danish officers participate in Italian surveillance patrols
According to DR, five Danish police officers traveled to the Italian island of Lampedusa to assist at the EU's external border, deploying a patrol boat. One of them is Bo Christensen, who was appointed as the National Police Operations Coordinator and previously worked in the East Jutland Police, but is now assisting the local police in Lampedusa. He told the source: “We are busy, the weather has improved, and the Mediterranean is calm now, so there has been little pressure. Analysis indicates that when the weather is good, there will also be an increased number of migrants in the future.”.
The Danish team is assisting Italian authorities in dealing with the large number of migrants. Last year, the European Union saw its largest influx of irregular migrants since the 2015-2016 migration crisis, with the island receiving approximately 100,000 migrants. This figure represents more than a quarter of all irregular migrants to Europe, according to estimates by Frontex, the EU's border and coast guard agency, which anticipates a large number of migrants arriving on the Italian island. Christophe Borowski, a Frontex spokesperson, stated: "Lampedusa is an important location on Europe's borders, a hotspot where we see the largest number of migrants landing. Therefore, it is important that the Danish patrol be able to assist with patrols and, if necessary, with rescue operations.".
Danish patrol welcomes migrants and brings them to safety
According to DR, the Danish patrol boat in the Italian island of Lampedusa welcomes migrants crossing from Africa to Lampedusa in the hope of a better life in Europe. The patrol boat sails the illegal migrants to the port of Lampedusa, where they are received by local authorities along with a team of doctors, nurses, the Red Cross, and Frontex staff.
According to DR, operations coordinator Bo Christensen stated that the Danish team has already conducted several operations: “We are helping to receive some people in need who are looking for Europe. This week we were involved in three incidents here related to dealing with migrants. It’s difficult to assess whether we are making a difference in the bigger picture, but in individual incidents we feel we are making a difference; we are helping to receive some people in need who are looking for Europe. Before we start a patrol, we look each other in the eye and say that if the weather is bad, there could be a risk of the boat capsizing and people need to be rescued from the water. It’s possible that someone has drowned. We mentally prepare for that.” Although the Danish officer and his colleagues have not yet experienced any violent incidents at sea, they prepare for them every time they patrol the waters surrounding the Italian holiday island.
The head of the department at the Danish National Police, Sine Haugland Jensen, stated that these migration routes are constantly changing, explaining that human traffickers are creative and constantly find new ways, but Lampedusa is one of the hotspots in Europe that still receives many migrants because of its geographical location.
What is Frontex?
- Frontex is the European Union's border and coast guard agency, which, in cooperation with member states, manages the EU's external borders with a particular focus on preventing illegal migration, combating cross-border crime, and assisting EU countries with tasks relating to the return of foreigners without a visa and legal residence in the EU.
- Frontex's operational activities include efforts on land, at sea and in the air.
- The Danish missions to Frontex come from the police, defense and immigration authorities.
- The Danish police send approximately 60-70 police officers to Frontex annually.
Source: Frontex
