Migrants: a one-year-old child crossed the Mediterranean alone to Italy

Two migrant boats off the Italian island of Lampedusa, July 29, 2021. (illustrative image) AP - Santi Palacios

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1 min

A child of barely one year old arrived on Friday, December 17 on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, after having crossed the Mediterranean without his parents or any other member of his family, according to the revelations of the Italian press.

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With our correspondent in Rome,

This child, who disembarked safe and sound at

, traveled in the midst of 70 men in a makeshift boat.

About 12 months old, he hasn't spoken yet, so no one knows his identity or his story.

According to some testimonies from migrants, his parents chose to entrust him to strangers to give him a chance to have a better future in Europe.

As long as the Agrigento juvenile court has not ruled on his fate, the child will remain in the care of an educator.

This same court will also have to take a decision for the placement in a protected structure of a 14-year-old young person.

Four days ago, this teenager saw his mother die when the boat loaded with 25 migrants, on board which they had crossed the Mediterranean, capsized.

The accident happened not far from Lampedusa.

Unfortunately, rescuers did not arrive in time to prevent another tragedy.

► Also to listen: Migrants at the borders of Europe, from Lampedusa to Briançon

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• International Migration

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