Hundreds of Tunisians Continue to Arrive in Lampedusa; Italian Navy Ship to Transport Migrants from Island to Relieve Overcrowding; Local Residents Block Migrant Landings

Hundreds of Tunisians continue to reach Lampedusa.  Conditions at the main migrant reception centre on the island are extremely bad due to massive overcrowding and hundreds of migrants are sleeping in the open under tarps.  The centre is currently holding about 3000 persons whereas its capacity is supposed to be limited to 800 persons.  An Italian navy ship was scheduled to arrive on the island late on the 19^th or on the 20^th of March and it is anticipated that the ship will transport at least 1000 migrants to other locations in Italy.

Some local residents protested the continuing arrival of migrant boats by preventing for several hours coast guard and Guardia di Fiananza boats carrying rescued migrants from docking and disembarking the migrants in port.

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