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| Mediterranean migrant crisis: Most young migrants 'want to stay in Italy – not come to Britain' | Mediterranean migrant crisis: Most young migrants 'want to stay in Italy – not come to Britain' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A social worker who helps young migrants being rescued from the Mediterranean has dismissed the “myth” that many of those arriving are heading to the UK. | A social worker who helps young migrants being rescued from the Mediterranean has dismissed the “myth” that many of those arriving are heading to the UK. |
| Giuseppe Silvestro said that not one of the men, women and children he met coming off a ship in Sicily yesterday told him they wanted to reach Britain. | Giuseppe Silvestro said that not one of the men, women and children he met coming off a ship in Sicily yesterday told him they wanted to reach Britain. |
| “Thinking that most migrants are going to England is absolutely not true,” he told The Independent. | “Thinking that most migrants are going to England is absolutely not true,” he told The Independent. |
| “You can ask anyone here - many of them want to stay in Italy.” | “You can ask anyone here - many of them want to stay in Italy.” |
| His comments came as thousands of people camped in Calais continued trying to cross to England, risking their lives attempting to board lorries or enter the Channel Tunnel. | His comments came as thousands of people camped in Calais continued trying to cross to England, risking their lives attempting to board lorries or enter the Channel Tunnel. |
| © Lizzie Dearden Many of those migrants are believed to have entered Europe through Italy, where naval ships and coastguard boats rescue vessels abandoned by smugglers offshore. | © Lizzie Dearden Many of those migrants are believed to have entered Europe through Italy, where naval ships and coastguard boats rescue vessels abandoned by smugglers offshore. |
| Mr Silvestro runs Centro Ahmed, a reception centre for unaccompanied boys arriving in Messina, where they are given the legal help with their asylum claims as well as counselling and Italian lessons. | Mr Silvestro runs Centro Ahmed, a reception centre for unaccompanied boys arriving in Messina, where they are given the legal help with their asylum claims as well as counselling and Italian lessons. |
| It will be a temporary home for many of the 37 children who arrived in Messina yesterday, alongside more than 300 migrants brought ashore by the Italian coastguard. | It will be a temporary home for many of the 37 children who arrived in Messina yesterday, alongside more than 300 migrants brought ashore by the Italian coastguard. |
| Eight Malian teenage cousins who had travelled for five months to reach Europe said they fled a “big conflict” and had heard talk of Italy on the television and among friends. | Eight Malian teenage cousins who had travelled for five months to reach Europe said they fled a “big conflict” and had heard talk of Italy on the television and among friends. |
| © Lizzie Dearden “We want to stay in Italy, we feel safe here,” 17-year-old Hamidou told The Independent. | © Lizzie Dearden “We want to stay in Italy, we feel safe here,” 17-year-old Hamidou told The Independent. |
| Rescue workers from Save the Children said that destinations varied by nationality, with many Eritreans, Ethiopians and Sudanese migrants heading for Sweden. | Rescue workers from Save the Children said that destinations varied by nationality, with many Eritreans, Ethiopians and Sudanese migrants heading for Sweden. |
| Germany was a popular destination for Syrian refugees, they said, while many arrivals stay in Italy. | Germany was a popular destination for Syrian refugees, they said, while many arrivals stay in Italy. |
| “It used to be England but when I speak to people now they say it's too difficult to get to and too difficult to live there,” said Valentina Bollenback, from Save the Children, which works with young migrants. | “It used to be England but when I speak to people now they say it's too difficult to get to and too difficult to live there,” said Valentina Bollenback, from Save the Children, which works with young migrants. |
| “They want to go to Sweden, where they can have a chance at a good life. Not just a normal life, a good life.” | “They want to go to Sweden, where they can have a chance at a good life. Not just a normal life, a good life.” |
| The Scandinavian country allows all Syrians to become permanent residents and people fleeing the brutal conflict still make up the largest group of arrivals. | The Scandinavian country allows all Syrians to become permanent residents and people fleeing the brutal conflict still make up the largest group of arrivals. |
| A record 127,000 people migrated to Sweden last year alone, including 80,000 asylum seekers - the highest number of any European country apart from Germany. | |
| © Lizzie Dearden That number is expected to rise this year as hundreds of thousands of people from the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa continue to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. | © Lizzie Dearden That number is expected to rise this year as hundreds of thousands of people from the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa continue to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. |
| More than 2,000 migrants have lost their lives trying make the perilous voyage so far this year. | More than 2,000 migrants have lost their lives trying make the perilous voyage so far this year. |