Italy Returns 31 Illegal Immigrants

As many as 31 Gambian youths were on Friday 12 June 2009, returned from Italy this paper was reliably informed.

Confirming the story, Mr. Buba Sagnia, the Deputy Director of Immigration said "these were people who went by sea and the Sahara desert via Libya and were intercepted at the border and kept in a camp". He revealed that a number of countries were invited to go and identify their citizens.

It could be recalled that in September 2008 as many as 103 people considered to be illegal immigrants were repatriated from Spain, but were sent back as the Gambian authorities refused to issue clearance for them to be disembarked from the plane.

The plane reportedly spent several hours at the Banjul International Airport, but returned with the deportees to Spain.

Only 38 of the 103 illegal immigrants were lately repatriated.

Sources added that the rest were allowed to live in Spain.

Most of these people, mainly youths, embark on risky, mostly sea voyages to reach Europe. Despite the constant loss of lives, many are still willing to brave the precarious journey to enter through the "back-way" to Europe.

It has been reported of late that a total of 27 Gambian youths were confirmed dead when their boat capsized off the coast of Libya during a new upsurge of illegal migration to Europe, notably Spain and Italy.