NICOLAS TUCAT
The Italian authorities had assigned the “Sea-Watch 4” the port of Trapani, where the ship is now on its way, the crew announced on Monday via the online service Twitter.
“Our guests are very relieved and incredibly happy that they will soon be able to go ashore in a safe place!” added the crew of the private German aid organization. At the end of last week, the “Sea-Watch 4” took in the 455 refugees on six missions from overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean.
An urgent appeal to EU governments
Before the green light from Italy, Sea-Watch launched an urgent appeal to EU governments to allow the refugees to go ashore. It was “not a favor, human rights are not a charity event,” said a spokesman for the ship’s crew. At the weekend, the ship “Ocean Viking” of the European organization SOS Méditerranée brought 236 refugees ashore in the port of Augusta in Sicily.
According to official figures, more than 1200 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe last year. However, experts assume a high number of unreported cases. (AFP)