The crisis that might never end: Warning that thousands more will head to the EU via Libya after Italy rescues 4,000 people off its coast in just 48 hours
- Alarming numbers of migrants poised to flood into Europe from Libya, European Council president Donald Tusk warned
- He admitted EU will not be able to send arrivals back even though most are not genuine refugees
- More than 4,000 migrants were rescued in waters off Italy in just 48 hours
- On Tuesday alone, 2,154 migrants were brought to safety from Strait of Sicily
- For more on the EU refugee crisis visit www.dailymail.co.uk/refugeecrisis
Alarming numbers of migrants are poised to flood into Europe from Libya, European Council president Donald Tusk warned yesterday.
He said there will be a repeat of the crisis that has seen more than a million land on the Greek islands unless urgent action is taken.
But the former Polish president admitted the EU will not be able to send arrivals back to the war-torn North African nation even though most are not genuine refugees.
'Convenient and easy solutions are hard to find in politics, and in this case, they are virtually impossible,' he said.
'What we are faced with is a perpetual, tenuous and multi-dimensional effort. In fact, something like a never-ending story.
Alarming numbers of migrants are poised to flood into Europe from Libya, European Council president Donald Tusk has warned
'The solutions we are putting into practice are not ideal and will not end our work.'
His comments came after more than 4,000 migrants were rescued in the waters off Italy in just 48 hours.
Mr Tusk, who chaired negotiations last month between the EU and Turkey for a £4.7billion deal to stop people crossing the Aegean to Greek islands, said: 'We must remember that the Balkan route is not the only one.' Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, he said: 'I have in mind here the Central Mediterranean route.
'The numbers of would-be migrants in Libya are alarming. This means that we must be prepared to help.'
He added: 'Since the start of this year, 20,000 irregular migrants have come to Europe via the Central Mediterranean route and the numbers are growing.
'But no Syrians are among them. They are nationals of African countries such as Nigeria, Somalia, Gambia, the Republic of Guinea and Ivory Coast.
'We already now have three to five times more African migrants coming through the Central Mediterranean than this time last year.'
Italy's coastguard yesterday confirmed fears of a fresh push to reach Europe via Libya. On Tuesday, 2,154 migrants were brought to safety from the Strait of Sicily between Italy and North Africa, after 1,850 had been rescued in the area on Monday.
More than 9,600 people arrived in Italy last month, which is more than double the previous month's total and four times the figure for the same period last year.
Austria has begun building checkpoints on its border with Italy because of worries over a new influx of people aiming to reach northern Europe through Italy.
Tusk's comments came after more than 4,000 migrants were rescued in the waters off Italy in just 48 hours (pictured, a boat of migrants reaches Lampedusa, Italy)
Officials in Vienna have complained that the Italian government simply 'waves through' migrants heading north, and have said they expect at least 300,000 people to land in Italy this year – double the number who came last year.
Libya has long been a stepping stone for migrants seeking a better life in Europe, but the 185-mile sea crossing to Italy is more lethal than other routes. Mortality figures compiled by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) show that since the start of 2014, 6,175 have died on the central Mediterranean route from Libya – which amounts to around one for every 54 successful crossings.
Some 800 people drowned in a single sinking off the Italian island of Lampedusa last April. Only 28 passengers survived after the overcrowded fishing boat tipped over at night on its way from Libya to Italy. The sinking came days after another shipwreck in the area claimed 400 lives.
It is thought both boats capsized after those on board rushed to signal to passing merchant ships.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the tragedy showed the UK needed to change its stance. She said: 'It is immoral to turn our backs and leave people to drown in order to deter other desperate travellers – and of course it hasn't worked.'
In October 2014, Britain, along with other EU nations, backed Italy's decision to scale back its migrant patrol operation, replacing it with a much more limited EU 'border protection' plan.
Some 1,161 people are known to have died on the Aegean route from Turkey to Greece – one for every 893 successful crossings.
n The Commons foreign affairs committee yesterday said Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond had been 'less than candid' about Government plans to send 1,000 troops to Libya as part of an Italian-led training force. Mr Hammond denied the UK was preparing to deploy troops in a letter chairman Crispin Blunt said was 'misleading'.
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