Italy shuts its ports to rescue ships
MILAN — Two Germanrun migrant rescue ships carrying nearly 300 rescued people were waiting off the eastern coast of Sicily on Saturday, one with permission to disembark its most vulnerable migrants while the other’s request for a safe port has gone unanswered despite “critical” conditions on board.
Chaos and uncertainty have resulted from the decision late Friday by Italy’s farright-led government to close its ports to humanitarian rescue ships.
Nearly 1,100 rescued migrants aboard four ships run by European charity organizations are stuck in the Mediterranean Sea, some with people rescued as long as two weeks ago amid deteriorating conditions on board.
Both the Humanity 1 and the Rise Above ships, run by separate German humanitarian groups, were in Italian waters, both seeking shelter from rough seas. The Humanity 1, carrying 179 migrants, has received permission to disembark minors and people needing medical care, but the Rise Above’s request for port for its 93 rescued people has so far gone unanswered.
By the time darkness fell Saturday, the Humanity 1 still had not received any direct communications from Italian authorities regarding evacuations, spokesman Wasil Schauseil said.
The SOS Humanity charity challenged Italy’s move to distinguish “vulnerable” migrants, saying all were rescued at sea, which alone qualifies them for a safe port under international law.
Italy’s only Black lawmaker in the lower chamber, Abourbakar Soumahoro, said he would join migrants on the ship if Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s government did not act soon to aid all those blocked at sea.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Friday that the Humanity 1 would be allowed in Italian waters only long enough to disembark minors and people in need of urgent medical care.
The measure was approved after Germany and France each called on Italy to grant a safe port to the migrants, and indicated they would receive some of the migrants so Italy wouldn’t bear the burden alone.
No such provisions have been offered to the other three ships, and both the Geo Barents, carrying 572 migrants, and the Rise Above have entered Italian waters without consent despite repeated requests for a safe port. The Ocean Viking with 234 migrants remained in international waters, south of the Strait of Messina.
“We have been waiting for 10 days for a safe place to disembark the 572 survivors,” said Juan Mattias Gil, the head of mission for the Geo Barents.
Italy’s new far-right-led government is insisting that countries whose flag the charity-run ships fly must take on the migrants. Speaking late Friday, Piantedosi described such vessels as “islands” that are under the jurisdiction of the flag countries.