Children’s Commissioner expresses concern about migrant children stranded at sea

The Children’s Commissioner Pauline Miceli yesterday expressed concern about the plight of migrant children who have been stranded on a ship for 10 days, but stopped short of saying that they should disembark in Malta.

The Commissioner for Children, in a statement, said she is following the plight of the 160 migrants aboard the Open Arms Ship, which has been stranded out at sea since 2 August, “with deep concern. The Office believes that the fundamental right to health and safety of those aboard the sea vessel, especially that of the children and unaccompanied minors, trumps any diplomatic negotiations that are holding up the disembarkation of these migrants in a safe port.

“The Office therefore calls on all political actors concerned, at national and European Level, to cooperate on a humanitarian level to ensure that these migrants are brought to safety and allowed to disembark.”

Malta has so far offered to take in 39 of the migrants who were rescued by Open Arms in Malta’s search and rescue zone, but the NGO is insisting that the other 121 migrants who had been rescued earlier are also brought to shore.

The Spanish aid group also said yesterday that it had asked Italy to help evacuate three migrants for health reasons out of the 160 passengers on board its rescue ship while the captain seeks authorization to enter a port.

Later in the day, a statement by the Armed Forces of Malta read that it was coordinating a medical evacuation of 8 migrants from onboard the vessel. The migrants were transferred onboard the AFM’s P21 vessel, and were heading to Hay Wharf Base, Malta.