Two ships from different NGOs with hundreds of refugees on board are still waiting for Italy. The reason: the government has closed the ports. The Italian Minister of Regions, Roberto Calderoli, doubts whether these are rescues at sea and speaks of “taxis from the sea”.
The “Geo Barentsz” with 572 and the “Ocean Viking” with 234 people are still waiting in detail. Both ships fly the Norwegian flag. Your crew is talking about two weeks waiting for a port. The situation on board would continue to deteriorate. This is how the flu is supposed to spread.
Health emergencies are monitored
In that regard, the Italian government made the first concessions on Friday evening. The German rescue ship “Humanity 1” with 179 refugees, which until recently waited a few days, is allowed to set course for a port in Sicily. It must anchor off Catania for a checkup so authorities can check for possible health problems. “We respect humanitarian needs,” said non-party interior minister Matteo Piantedosi.
The same goes for Mission Lifeline’s German “Rise Above” who rescued 95 boat people from distress in the Mediterranean on Thursday. “We will also treat this ship with the same criteria that apply to humanity,” Piantedosi said. The rescue ship is currently sailing towards the Sicilian city of Syracuse.
Norway in service?
The situation is currently different for the two other waiting rescue ships. Here the Italian government sees the flag state of Norway as a duty to act. However, the government there refused to accept the refugees. Under international law, Italy is responsible. In this country would be the nearest safe harbor.
The Italian Minister of Regions, Roberto Calderoli, on the other hand, sees the responsibility for the current situation with the representatives of the NGOs. “I doubt if these are really rescues at sea. I believe more in a transfer of people who had an appointment with the NGO ships (…). We don’t need sea taxis,” the minister said. “The message that needs to be conveyed is: if you immigrate illegally, you will be sent back home,” Calderoli said in an interview with the daily newspaper “La Stampa”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sees it the same way. She is considering banning all humanitarian rescue ships from Italian waters. The “pirate ships” have to go elsewhere. With this statement, Meloni was referring to the fact that Norway and Germany would not recognize their ships if they did not continue to care for the refugees on board.
In any case, the local port authority is legally obliged to open the ports if one of the ships is in distress.
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.
