FOREIGN SCENE : 629 MIGRANTS STUCK ON SHIP AT SEA AFTER ITALY, MALTA REFUSE THEM
A ship carrying more than 600 rescued migrants is stranded in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Italy after both countries declined to take its human cargo.
The ship, Aquarius, is operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the SOS Mediterranee organizations.
Aquarius rescued 629 people Saturday night into Sunday morning – taking on people from two rubber vessels as well as “Italian navy ships, Italian coast guard ships and merchant vessels” in six different operations, MSF and SOS said on Twitter.
The organizations said the boat was located 35 nautical miles from Italy and 27 nautical miles from Malta.
The Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center told Aquarius Sunday to “standby in [their] current position,” MSF tweeted.
EUROPE ‘MINDING ITS OWN PRIVATE INTEREST’
Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini wrote on Facebook Sunday morning that Italy was saying “no” to human trafficking.
“In the Mediterranean Sea, there are boats carrying Dutch, Spanish, Gibraltar and British flags. There are NGO’s from Spain and Germany, meanwhile there is also Malta that does not welcome anyone
“There is France too, that refuses and pushes back at their border. There is Spain that protects their own borders with weapons, well, that means all of Europe is minding its own private interest,” Salvini wrote.
“Starting today Italy will commence to say NO to human trafficking, NO to the business of clandestine immigration
“My objective is to guarantee a peaceful life to all these people in Africa and to our children in Italy.”
MSF said earlier that Italy had reportedly asked Malta to disembark the rescued migrants there.
Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Twitter that he had taken a call from his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte to discuss the issue.
“Malta is in full conformity with international obligations & will not take the vessel in its ports. We will continue, where possible, carrying out individual & humanitarian emergency medical evacuations,” Muscat tweeted.
In a separate tweet he added: “We are concerned at Italy authorities’ directions given to Acquarius on high seas. They manifestly go against international rules, and risk creating a dangerous situation for all those involved.”
On Twitter, MSF expressed concern that “again politics are being placed above people’s lives.
“The priority must be the importance of the well being & safety of the people on board,” it said. MSF project coordinator Aloys Vimard told journalist Anelise Borges that the ship had enough food and water for two to three days.
The United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, said on Twitter that the situation needed a quick resolution.
“States and actors involved should rapidly find solutions to allow migrants and refugees on board the Aquarius to disembark safely and quickly. Hundreds of people urgently need assistance, slowing down operations puts their well being at risk,” it said.
MSF said there were 123 unaccompanied minors, 11 children and seven pregnant women among the migrants on board the Aquarius.
SOURCE – CNN
