He would have obstructed a Libyan patrol boat during the rescue of a migrant boat, also disregarding the instructions of the National Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
For this reason, an administrative detention order for twenty days and a fine of up to 10 thousand euros was issued against the Open Arms, which arrived in Crotone with 57 migrants on the evening of Saturday 20 January, based on the Piantedosi decree which regulates the interventions of NGOs. .
The measure was taken after checks carried out by State Police, Coast Guard and Financial Police personnel who on Saturday evening boarded the Spanish NGO's ship at the end of the disembarkation operations of the 57 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean in three different interventions.
After the rescue, the OpenArms was destined for the port of Brindisi, but due to the difficult marine weather conditions, with waves up to 4 meters high and winds over 35 knots, the vessel was directed to the port of Crotone to disembark the migrants.
In the Calabrian port the police listened to the captain and crew of the ship for over six hours to accuse him of a series of non-compliances in violation of the Piantedosi decree.
In particular, the Italian authorities received a report from Libya that the Open Arms had obstructed one of their patrol boats during the rescue of 45 people who were on a boat in Libyan SAR water; an intervention that had also been denied by the IMRCC.
However, the 45 people were taken by the Libyan naval unit.
Last December, the ship Humanity 1, owned by a German NGO, was also subjected to administrative detention in the port of Crotone for violations of the Piantedosi decree.
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