What’s behind the surge in migrant arrivals to Italy?

By RENATA BRITO
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Thousand of migrants reached the Italian island of Lampedusa on more than 100 boats this week. Experts say bad weather created a bottleneck resulting in the spike of arrivals from Tunisia. Experts also say that the North African nation’s crumbling economy and growing anti-migrant sentiment there have fueled departures this year. Italian, Tunisian and European Union officials are being blamed for failing to stop people smugglers from launching unseaworthy boats.