Italy ‘breaking law’ by refusing to let migrants disembark, say charities in port standoff

Charities said the Italian government has broken international law by turning away hundreds of migrants rescued at sea.

Rome’s new far-right government under Giorgia Meloni said only those deemed vulnerable are allowed to leave rescue ships currently docked in the Sicilian port city of Catania.

The captain of Humanity 1, a German-flagged boat run by charity SOS Humanity, has refused an order to leave the port until Italy allows the 35 migrants remaining onboard to take shore. On Sunday, 144 migrants, including 100 unaccompanied minors, were allowed to disembark.

Later on Sunday, the charity ship Geo Barents, run by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors without Borders, docked in Catania with 572 migrants. Authorities left 214 onboard after vetting.

Families were the first to leave the ship. One man cradling a baby expressed his gratitude, saying “Thank you, Geo Barents, thank you”, as he left. Another man in a wheelchair was carried down by Red Cross workers.

Humanitarian groups, human rights activists and Italian opposition politicians who travelled to Sicily said the vetting process was illegal and inhumane.

Italy’s new interior minister Matteo Piantedosi is targeting non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which Italy has long accused of encouraging people trafficking in the central Mediterranean Sea. The groups deny the claim.

The government insists countries whose flags are flown on a ship should take in any migrants on board. French and German ministers have confronted Italy over its policy.

A German government spokesperson said on Monday that Berlin is in talks with Rome about the fate of the migrants and wants them to be given permission to disembark.

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The current standoff harks back to 2018, when Matteo Salvini, now Ms Meloni’s deputy prime minister and infrastructure minister in charge of ports, banned rescue ships from docking in his stint as interior minister. Mr Salvini claimed success in his stance after forcing a ship carrying 629 refugees to seek port Spain instead.

SOS Humanity said it was taking legal action against Ms Meloni’s government, while MSF said Rome had breached the terms of international treaties ruling that governments should take people rescued at sea from the ship that rescued them as soon as possible.

Two other boats run by NGOs remained stuck at sea with no port willing to accept their passengers. The Associated Press reported that disease was spreading on board.

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The German-run Rise Above, carrying 93 rescued at sea, said it had not received any communications from Italian authorities.

Ocean Viking, operated by the European charity SOS Mediterranee, with 234 migrants on board, said the same. Its first rescue was 16 days ago.

“Agitation is evident among the survivors,” a charity worker named Morgane told the Associated Press. Cases of seasickness were soaring after high waves tossed the ship through the night.

“Today, the weather considerably deteriorated, bringing strong winds, rough seas and rain on deck. ... these extreme conditions added suffering,” she said.

Amnesty International called Italy’s stance “disgraceful”.

“Italy legitimately expects other EU member states to share responsibility for people seeking asylum, but this does not justify imposing measures that only increase the suffering of already traumatised people,” a spokesperson said.