Boatload of 480 illegals held
12/09/2004 19:51  - (SA)  

500 illegals intercepted Island flooded by illegals Ships ignored refugees Bodies thrown overboard

Rome - Italian police apprehended 650 illegal immigrants on two boats near the island of Lampedusa south of Sicily over the weekend, including 480 on a single vessel, Italian authorities said on Sunday.

It was the single largest boatload of illegal immigrants ever apprehended in waters near the tiny island - a way-station for illegal immigration from Africa.

It brings the total of people detained in the last week to well over 1 000.

About 480 men were crammed on board a 30m fishing boat apprehended 30 nautical miles from Lampedusa, a police source said.

Shortly after that, a second boat with 170 persons aboard was taken into custody.

Three other vessels, each with 125 to 200 persons on board, were apprehended over the previous seven days.

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