After rescuing more than 400 people in 48 hours,
Geo Barents,
the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) rescue ship that has been patrolling the waters of the central Mediterranean for two weeks, hopes that Italy will give it the green light to dock and to disembark.
Emotions are mixed among migrants.
The uncertainty and fatigue of the long journey are beginning to take their toll on them and increase the tension on board, but there is also hope.
The ship is waiting to be assigned a safe harbor.
The NGO carried out seven rescue operations between Thursday and Saturday, with four rescues on the same day.
Three of the four on Saturday took place in
Malta's
search and rescue
zone (SAR
).
The rest, in international waters off the Libyan coast.
MSF informed the competent authorities of each operation.
Malta has already rejected the request and hope is now focused on the possible affirmative response from Italy, which in recent days has been overwhelmed with the arrival of dozens of boats.
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On board the 'Geo Barents': the migration crisis from a rescue ship
The 'Geo Barents' rescues 400 migrants in the Central Mediterranean in 48 hours
Rome has responded, in a first communication, that the landing is not its responsibility since the rescues did not take place in its search and rescue area. The humanitarian organization has sent a second request accompanied by the migrants' medical reports as well as humanitarian data. They detail how many men and women are on board, how many unaccompanied children and minors, nationalities and the human rights vulnerabilities they have encountered so far. If they have detected that they may be victims of human trafficking, if they have been tortured or if they are victims of sexual violence. All reports are sent to the authorities in Libya, Malta and Italy. They also send copies to Norway, the country that flags the ship. So far there has been no response.
Photogallery: The 'Geo Barents' rescues 400 migrants in the Central Mediterranean in 48 hours
Safe Harbor
The wait is long and it begins to be noticed in the environment.
“I hope they will assign us a safe landing place in the next few hours.
What I fear is that it is not what happens ”, lamented the head of the mission, Barbara Deck, in statements to EL PAÍS.
“We continue to advocate with the authorities so that they act in the way in which they are obliged”, emphasized Deck, who recalled that “according to maritime laws and the international agreement on search and rescue, a rescue cannot be considered complete until the people are disembarked in a safe place ”.
A rescue cannot be considered complete until people are disembarked in a safe place.
Barbara Deck, MSF Head of Mission at the 'Geo Barents'
The heat has intensified in recent days and, although the deck is open at the stern and has a railing where you can look out over the sea, the stress is evident in the area occupied by the men.
It is a space of about 40 meters long by 12 wide in which 394 males coexist between adults and minors.
The women and the smallest children are housed on the upper deck, which is smaller since there are usually fewer, and with direct access to the clinic.
Some people have already been aboard the
Geo Barents
for five days
and uncertainty, fatigue and cultural differences have caused the first tensions among the migrants.
Coexistence problems
During the distribution of food and tea this morning, members of the MSF team have been meeting in groups with the rescued to convey a message of coexistence in English, French and Arabic. Meanwhile, some of the youngest have offered to help the humanitarian organization team. Adamou and John, from the Ivory Coast, have joined the chain to distribute the bags with the daily rations. They are on the lookout to pick up the cardboard box once the food has been distributed. John, like some have done in recent days, has decorated his shirt with a red marker.
At one point during the distribution, about thirty people have refused to eat and have put the bags in a pile in protest, demanding to arrive at port.
Syrian-born cultural mediator Salah Dasuki has intervened to calm things down.
"We have a lot of stress, a lot of pressure, a lot of problems, we want to be received," the leader of the group asked the head of the mission, who was on deck.
Dasuki has managed to convince them that it is a tough situation for everyone and that they cannot give them an answer as to where the ship is going because they do not have one.
Finally the spirits have calmed down and the matter has been settled with applause.
John from Ivory Coast helps the MSF team distribute the food rations.
Barbara Deck acknowledges that the situation is complex. "They are on board in a confined place with a lot of people, it's noisy, it's hot ... We have people who have been there for five days, people who have been there for a couple of days less, but they should never be on board for days." The destination port is a constant question. "They want to know what's going on and we don't have much to tell them other than we are waiting for," he laments. There is also another expression that they keep repeating: “Libya no. Not Libya ”.
The thermometer shows 27º with a humidity of 62% in the area where the
Geo Barents
is located
, which sails at a speed of 2.7 knots south of the island of Sicily. Shift showers started on Monday afternoon. Games have also been distributed, which the migrants have welcomed. Some have made their own cardboard boards and used soda plates given to them by crew members as tokens. The clinic where patients who need it are cared for is also fully operational. Every day their temperature is taken as a follow-up anticovid measure and before eating their hands are disinfected. On the deck they also have a sink with several taps to wash and wash clothes.