- The captain of a migrant rescue ship has refused to leave the port of the Sicilian city of Catania before all people are allowed to disembark.
- The Italian government had previously only allowed minors and people in need of medical assistance to disembark the ship.
- According to media agencies, there are currently 35 men on board. Originally there were 179 people. The same condition applies to the ship “Geo Barents” of the organization “Doctors Without Borders”.
At “Geo Barents”, around 360 of the more than 570 people rescued have now been able to disembark. The rescue organizations criticize that the Italian government’s conditions violate maritime law. Two more ships are currently waiting for permission to dock off Sicily.
The crew of “Humanity 1” first received permission to enter the Sicilian port. First of all, all the minors disembarked. All male adults initially remained on the ship and were individually medically examined by the authorities. A group of just over 30 people were not allowed to leave the ship.
According to SOS Humanity, one man then collapsed and had to be taken from the ship. On Sunday morning, the organization said it was asked to leave the port. However, the captain rejected them and said, according to the statement, that he could not leave the port until all of the boat migrants had disembarked.
Post-Fascist government blamed
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has tightened migration policy since taking office at the end of October, but pledged to leave the injured, women and children on land. Others would have to stay on the ships. From Rome’s point of view, the flag states are responsible for the people on board. In the case of “Humanity 1” that would be Germany.
Italy’s opposition said the Meloni government’s actions were against principles of humanity and international regulations, Social Democrat leader Enrico Letta tweeted. Left-wing politician Aboubakar Soumahoro criticized in Catania that the government was playing a political game on the backs of babies, women and traumatized people.