A German rescue ship, which landed nearly 400 migrants in Sicily in early March, was immobilized for security reasons by the Italian coastguard, said on Monday the humanitarian NGO that manages it.
Read also: Italy: an NGO accused of being paid after rescuing migrants
The Sea-Watch 3 ship, managed by the Sea-Watch organization, is stranded by the coast guards in the Sicilian port of Augusta, where it docked with 363 migrants on March 3.
A check was ordered because the ship was in violation of regulations on navigation safety, prevention of fires on board, environmental protection and crew training, according to a statement from the coast guard.
“
Since last night, # SeaWatch3 has been in administrative detention in Augusta.
They accuse us again of having saved too many people,
”tweeted the NGO Sea-Watch.
"
Should we have let 363 human beings die in the indifference of the authorities, who continue to offer no alternative to our presence at sea?"
She added.
At the same time, the Ocean Viking, another aid vessel which picked up 116 migrants last week, was stranded on the high seas south of Malta, awaiting permission to enter a port.
The Italian coast guards regularly immobilize the ships of humanitarian NGOs, a measure deemed unjustified and politically motivated by them.
NGOs have also been accused of colluding with smugglers of Libyan migrants to safely disembark would-be immigrants on European shores, which they firmly deny.
Prosecutors in Trapani, Sicily, have opened an investigation into the allegations against Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Save the Children, and are expected to demand a trial against them.
Read also: Italy: coast guards looking for shipwrecked migrants
Italy is a privileged gateway for migrants to Europe, but the sea route between North Africa and Sicily is one of the deadliest in the world.
Nearly 530,000 migrants have landed on Italy's coasts since the start of 2015, including some 6,000 since the start of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
