25-hour boat ride to Italy by lone 4year old

A Tunisian girl of age four-year-old has landed in Lampedusa, Italy as she travelled on an overcrowded migrant boat without her parents.

on Thursday,Infomigrants, reported that the girl was on a voyage at sea together with nearly 70 people spending 25 hours between Sunday 16 and Monday 17 October.

The report said her parents and sister were left behind in Tunisia after the boat left in a hurry but a children’s rights activist brought attention to the case on social media.

Read also: Nigerian migrants still detained in Italy without trial – rights activist

One of the passengers on the boat — a Tunisian man — reportedly took care of the girl during the crossing.

After arriving in Lampedusa, the little girl was transferred to Porto Empedocle, in Sicily, via ferry with the support of a social worker, and alongside 110 other migrants.

It was learnt that Save the Children’s team on Lampedusa firstly rendered support to the little girl by “welcoming her, listening to her and responding to her needs.”

The organisation’s spokeswoman Giovanna Di Benedetto disclosed adding that the case was reported to the authorities.

“We believe it is fundamental for her case to be immediately taken care of so her protection and safety are ensured”, Di Benedetto added, calling for the “immediate activation of measures” enabling her family to join her.

Family left behind due to panic during departure

Her mother, father and seven-year-old sister had reportedly been unable to make it onto the boat and were left behind on the beach of Mahdia in Tunisia.

Majdi Karbai — who was elected to the Tunisian Parliament in 2019 and who is currently living in Italy where he works for Save the Children — wrote about the case on Twitter.

He said that panic during the departure caused the boat to leave early, separating the family.

The parents have since been arrested by Tunisian authorities, according to a report by Italian state TV broadcaster Rai News and Tweets by Majdi Karbai.

On Thursday, he said that the attorney general of Monastir would decide whether they would remain in custody and that they faced charges of abandoning a minor and of human trafficking. He commented that the situation was “absurd.”

(Vanguard)