In a letter, the German government has asked the Italian government to take in the 179 migrants who have been on board the rescue vessel Humanity 1 for days. According to the German government, “civil organizations committed to rescuing migrants are making an important contribution to saving lives in the Mediterranean”.
“Saving people whose lives are in danger is the most important thing. According to SOS Humanity, there are currently 104 unaccompanied minors on the German-flagged vessel ‘Humanity 1’. Many of them need medical care. We have asked the Italian government to provide assistance quickly,” the letter said, as reported by Rai 3 on Wednesday evening.
Rescue ships stranded near Italy
Nearly a thousand migrants are still waiting aboard three rescue ships in the central Mediterranean at a landing port. After ten days at sea and eleven unanswered landing requests from authorities in Italy and Malta, the “Humanity 1” of the German aid organization “SOS Humanity” is still pushing for a safe haven for 179 rescued people in the central Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the health situation on board is deteriorating, the NGO warned, and a flu infection has spread.
In addition to the “Humanity 1”, the “Ocean Viking” of SOS Méditerranée and the “Geo Barents” of Médecins Sans Frontières are also waiting at a port assigned to land the boat migrants. Recently there were just over 234 migrants on the “Ocean Viking” and 572 on the “Geo Barentsz”. The volunteers rescued them in several missions over the past few days.
Italy promises “emergency aid if necessary”.
In a letter to the German embassy in Rome, the Italian Foreign Ministry replied that it was “waiting for detailed information” about the people on board the ship and the sea area in which the ship is sailing. The ministry also expects information about whether vulnerable persons are on board and whether applications for international protection have already been made. “Italy will of course continue to monitor the situation on board these and other ships and provide emergency assistance if necessary,” the letter said.
Rescuers worry about ‘inhumane’ situation
The aid organization “SOS Méditerranée”, operator of the “Ocean Viking”, called on Greece, Spain and France to assign the ship a safe landing port. “It is inhumane and illegal to keep nearly 1,000 people at sea,” the NGO said. The organization called on EU countries to “live up to their commitments and reintroduce a predictable landing system”.
“Such a system should ensure that survivors can disembark in the safe harbor closest to the area where search and rescue operations are being conducted,” the NGO said. “Shipwrecked sailors rescued at sea cannot be the subject of political debate,” the organization said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
