The Ocean Viking ship, which has 234 migrants on board rescued in recent days off the coast of Libya, has requested assistance from Greece, Spain and France. “Despite repeated requests to the rescue coordination centers in Malta and Italy – says the NGO Sos Mediterranee – a safe harbor has not yet been indicated” to the ship, “which remains uncertain”. “This blockade at sea – underlines the coordinator of the NGO Nicola Stalla – is not only morally shameful but disregards important legislative provisions of international maritime law and humanitarian law”. «The castaways – confirms Nicola Stalla – must disembark without further delays. We are facing an absolute emergency and every further day of waiting could have potentially lethal consequences “
Migrants: UNHCR, dialogue between all countries to provide a safe haven
UNHCR joins the appeal, recalling that “the law of the sea assigns clear responsibilities in the coordination of search and rescue”. UNHCR hopes for dialogue between all the competent countries “to identify as soon as possible a safe harbor for NGO ships in the Mediterranean with a spirit of collaboration and solidarity”, referring to the three boats Ocean Viking, Humanity One and Geo Barents that have been waiting for a ” safe harbor”.
The arm wrestling Italian government-NGO
The directive of the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, which ordered humanitarian ships to keep away from Italian waters, dates back to 9 days ago. Back then there were 2, the Humanity 1 and the Ocean Viking. The Geo Barents was subsequently added and there are now 985 migrants rescued at sea on stand by on the three boats that cross a few miles from the Sicilian coast. “There are many children on board and there are those who need immediate care”, press the NGOs that have addressed multiple requests for a port to Italy and Malta, all of which have failed.
The no of the Interior Ministry
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke openly of “pirate ships”. “If you commute between the African coasts and Italy to ferry migrants – he accuses – you are openly violating the law of the sea and international legislation. If an NGO ship flies a German flag, let us say, there are two cases: either Germany recognizes it and takes charge of it or it becomes a pirate ship ». And Piantedosi – it is the Interior Ministry that must assign the port – reiterates its ‘niet’: “we cannot take care of the migrants collected at sea by foreign ships that operate systematically without any prior coordination of the authorities” he reiterated when interviewed by the Corriere.
The reply of the NGOs
On this last point, Doctors Without Borders, which manages the Geo Barents (Norwegian flag, 572 people recovered), points out that the on-board team “promptly contacted and informed both the Maltese maritime authorities, responsible for the Sar area in which they the rescue activities were carried out, which the Italian authorities, but the Maltese relief coordination center did not send any instructions or communications ». On the ship there are over 60 minors, three pregnant women and cases that require immediate intervention, such as that, explains Riccardo Gatti, head of MSF operations