Nigel Farage rages at EU for ignoring migrant crisis in Italy: 'I warned you but no-one listened!'

The island, which lies in the middle of the Mediterranean between Malta and Tunisia, saw as many as 8,000 migrants come to its shores over the past four days.

EU Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen visited the island on Saturday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after Italy begged the EU for help in dealing with small boat arrivals.

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Meloni has said her country is under “unsustainable pressure”.

Farage warned the “invasion” of the Italian island could be an omen for migrants coming to British shores.

“The invasion of Lampedusa in the last few days spells catastrophe for the EU and for us,” Farage said.

“I warned them all in 2015 but no-one listened.

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“These young men must be sent back or millions more will come.”

During her visit to the island, von der Leyen acknowledged the migrant crisis was a “European challenge and needs a European answer”.

Together with Meloni, she praised the people of Lampedusa, whose 6,000-strong population has been swamped by the incoming migrants.

The Italian Prime Minister went as far as to warn that the future of Europe was at stake.

“The future of Europe depends on its ability to tackle epoch-making challenges of our time and the challenge of illegal immigration is for sure one of them,” Meloni said.

Italy is currently pushing for the creation of a European Union naval blockade to prevent more boats crossing the Mediterranean illegally.

Data suggests as many as 126,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, nearly double the number from the same period last year.

Protests have erupted on Lampedusa, as fuming residents revolt against plans to build new tent camps to host migrants.

“I have two children at home. In the past years, I did not care about this issue,” one protester told Reuters.

“But now I have an instinct of protection for my children because I don't know what will happen to Lampedusa in the future.”

Another said: “Lampedusa says stop! We don't want tent camps.

“This message is for Europe and for the Italian government. Lampedusa residents are tired.”