Pope Francis is welcomed to the Italian island of Lampedusa.<br/> <br />Just 70 miles off the coast of North Africa, the island is one of the main entrypoints for African migrants trying to reach Europe.<br/> <br />Hundreds, even thousands have drowned trying to make the crossing to the island in flimsy, crowded and unsafe boats.<br/> <br />Forty people have died this year alone trying to cross from Tunisia - deaths the pope said motivated his visit.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE FRANCIS SAYING:<br/> <br />"When a few weeks ago I heard this news which has repeated itself so many times, my thoughts kept returning to me, like a thorn in my heart bringing me pain. I thought then I needed to come here today to pray. To carry out a gesture of closeness and to re-awaken our consciousness so that what's happened never happens again."<br/> <br />The island saw a huge influx of migrants in 2011 during the Arab spring uprisings.<br/> <br />The UN says almost 8,000 migrants and asylum seekers landed in southern Italy in th
