ROMA (ITALPRESS) – 2,995 people landed on the Italian coasts in August 2026, up 37% compared to the previous month (2.179). The UNHCR reports it in a note, specifying that the people arrived were departed from Libya, Tunisia, Turkey and Algeria.
Libya is confirmed as the main country of departure this month, with 84% of all arrivals by sea. 69% of people landed in Lampedusa. Other landing ports include: Augusta, Ortona, Ravenna, Pantelleria, Pozzallo, Bari, Crotone, Roccella Ionica, Messina, Civitavecchia, Brindisi, Chia, Marsala, Lampione, Sant’Antioco, Naples, Trapani and Genoa.
“At least 3 people are dispersed according to the testimonies collected by our staff on an incident occurred in August near the Italian coasts on the route of the Central Mediterranean”, we read in the statement that “the data is underestimated because based only on the information collected from our teams to the landings in Italy”.
In the first eight months of the year were recorded 19.562 arrivals by sea, decreasing compared to the same period of 2025 (42.693). From the beginning of 2026, Libya confirmed its first country of departure with 81% of all arrivals by sea in Italy (88% in January-August 2025). Algeria is the second country of departure with 10% of arrivals (2% in January-August 2025), followed by Tunisia with 9% of arrivals (8% in January-August 2025).
In 2026, Sicily continues to be the region most affected by landings at national level. In particular, Lampedusa recorded 56% of all arrivals by sea in the first eight months of the year (75% in the same period of 2025).
As for the nationalities of origin, from January to August the prevailing ones are: Bangladesh (27%), Somalia (12%), Algeria (10%), Sudan (8%), Pakistan (7%), Egypt (6%), Eritrea (6%), Tunisia (5%), Mali (2%) and Nigeria (2%). In the period January-August unaccompanied minors account for 20% of all arrivals by sea in Italy, slightly growing compared to 18% of the same period of the previous year.
From January to August 2026, 21% of people were rescued by NGOs in the Mediterranean. According to data from OIM (Missing migrants Project) people who died and dispersed in the Mediterranean in the first eight months of 2026 are 1.757 (excluding North-West Africa) of which 938 along the Central Route (53%). Last year in the same period the victims had been 1,265, of which 835 along the Central Route (66%).
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
