Group: Number of migrant children travelling alone surges

MILAN – A humanitarian organization says that the number of unaccompanied minors making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy has more than doubled this year.

Save the Children says the number of minors arriving in Italy unaccompanied by an adult was 10,525 in the first six months of the year, compared with 3,929 in 2015.

At the same time, the number of migrant arrivals has remained almost the same: 70,222 this year compared with 70,340 last year.

Save the Children spokeswoman Giovanna di Benedetti said Thursday arrivals from Egypt and Gambia have led the surge. The number of unaccompanied minors from Gambian more than quadrupled to 1,578 from January through June, while there was a more than 10-fold increase in the number of Egyptians to 1,575.

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