Grueling experience aboard rescue ship Aquarius

VALENCIA, Spain — Photojournalist Oscar Corral, who arrived on Sunday at the eastern Spanish port of Valencia along with more than 600 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea, said he had experienced the most intense week of his life.

“I would say it’s been the most intense week of my life,” the Spaniard said after spending eight days on the humanitarian rescue vessel that rescued 629 people, mainly from sub-Saharan African countries, off the coast of Libya.

The became stuck off the coast of Sicily on June 9 as Italy’s new government asserted its anti-immigrant policy and refused to let the rescue ship dock. Italy then asked Malta to receive them, but Malta also refused.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who took a more liberal stance, said his country would offer a safe harbor.

Men, women and children cheered as they arrived at Valencia, where they were met and welcomed by nearly 2,000 officials, medical workers, translators and volunteers.

“It has been a very emotional week, mixed emotions, very positive emotions due to all the people we met,” Corral said.

Migrants arrived here with nothing, Corral said. “Without clothes, or memories of the lives they left behind, however, they are still caring,” he said, adding that a baby was born during the grueling journey. Corral had been on the

with his colleague from Spanish newspaper El Pais to record stories about the migrants.

“We were aware that some- thing ‘exceptional’ could happen since the had left to rescue migrants, but we never thought of something like this,” Corral said.

The is operated by the aid groups SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders to save people in distress in the Central Mediterranean, the most deadly migration route in the world.

After its rejection, Italy agreed to send its Coast Guard vessel and the naval ship to escort

to Spain. Some of the migrants were transferred from the to the two Italian boats.

“I am very happy that these people got to a safe harbor, after all the problems and the long trip in so many days, after seeing how they were rescued and taken out of water,” Corral said.

He said some scenes would stay with him for the rest of his life.

As the drew close to one of the small, stricken boats carrying dozens of refugees, a child, naked and shaking, was climbing back onboard after falling into the water, Corral said. “I was deeply shocked by it.”

Another scene that struck him was a warm hug between a boy and a rescuer before they touched land. “Thanks for saving my life,” the boy said.

“Migrants were cheated and tortured, and they were part of human trafficking,” Corral said, adding that “turning a blind eye does not fix the situation”.

Migrants were cheated and tortured, and they were part of human trafficking . ... Turning a blind eye does not fix the situation.”

Oscar Corral, Spanish photojournalist