In shift, Tunisians top migrant groups reaching Italy by sea

More boats carrying Tunisian asylum-seekers reached a tiny southern Italian island Monday, part of a steady stream this year from the economically struggling North African country that is sorely testing Italy’s small town mayors’ ability to safely quarantine them amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Tunisian migrants are now the biggest single national group reaching Italy by sea, and in a sign of concern Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese flew to Tunis on Monday for a meeting with her Tunisian counterpart. One held 11 people, wearing sunglasses and shorts, carrying knapsacks and water bottles and a poodle on a leash, Italy’s ANSA news agency said.