Italy's PM calls for EU help after island migrant surge

EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday visited a migrant center on Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa that was overwhelmed with nearly 7,000 arrivals in this week.

Meloni has pledged tougher measures and is calling for a naval blockade of North Africa to prevent migrants on smugglers’ boats from departing.

Earlier Saturday, her interior minister held a video call with counterparts from the European Union including France, Germany and Spain to seek a common line.

The crisis is challenging unity within the EU and also Meloni’s government. Most of the migrants arriving this week departed from Tunisia.