Enlarge image
A Seawatch lifeboat brings more migrants aboard the already full Sea-Watch 3
Photo: - / dpa
At the beginning of June, helpers in the Mediterranean rescued more than 430 people from distress at sea - but had to stay at sea with their two ships for days.
Now the ships "Mare Jonio" of the Italian aid organization Mediterranea and "Sea Watch 3" of the German organization Sea-Watch are allowed to call at the port of Pozzallo in southern Sicily.
They had previously received the green light from the Italian authorities.
In Pozzallo, the 92 people rescued by the Mare Jonio on June 5 and 6 and the 352 on board the Sea Watch 3 should be allowed to go ashore.
Among them are around 30 unaccompanied minors on the Mare Jonio and almost 120 on the Sea Watch 3.
The captains of the two ships had previously tried in vain for days to obtain permission to dock in an Italian port.
The "Sea Watch 3" had reported a dramatic situation on board, those seeking protection on board were exhausted.
Several times people had to be treated medically and finally evacuated.
The crew of the "Mare Jonio" then threatened the Ministry of the Interior in Rome on Wednesday that they would enter "the first accessible port" without permission if permission was not received within ten hours.
Old conflicts with »Sea Watch 3«
The "Sea Watch 3" has often come into conflict with Italian authorities.
In 2019 she was commanded by the German captain Carola Rackete, Rackete had driven the ship into the port of Lampedusa without permission.
The Italian Interior Minister at the time, Matteo Salvini, then insulted the captain, and now he has to answer to the court for defamation because of the statements made against the sea rescuer.
Several non-governmental organizations accuse Italy's authorities of deliberately delaying the assignment of ports to rescue ships in order to prevent migrants from making the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa towards Europe.
According to the Italian Ministry of the Interior, around 17,000 people have crossed the central Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, which is considered the most dangerous route in the world for those seeking protection.
mrc/AFP