France, Germany press Italy to open ports to 1,000 at sea

France and Germany are asking Italy’s new far-right-led government to grant a safe port to nearly 1,000 people rescued by humanitarian groups in the central Mediterranean, some of whom have been stuck at sea for more than two weeks.

Humanitarian groups caring for the rescued migrants on three ships in the central Mediterranean are sounding an alarm about deteriorating conditions, including people sleeping on floors in the cold and spreading fevers.

Italy’s new interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, has drafted new measures alleging that the non-governmental groups violated procedure by not properly coordinating their rescues, a step setting the groundwork for Italy to close the ports.

Piantedosi has also asked the countries whose flags they fly to intervene.

Italy's posture, maintaining silence to repeated requests for a safe port, has effectively blocked three charity-run rescue boats at sea. It is reminiscent of Italy’s anti-NGO policies under former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who is now in charge of ports as infrastructure minister.

Meanwhile, Italian authorities continue to allow arrivals of people rescued by Italian patrols, including 456 arriving in Calabria on Thursday.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Friday that international law makes clear that Italy, as the closest port, “must let the ship in.” He referred to the Norway-flagged Ocean Viking with 234 people aboard operated by the group SOS Mediterranee, which has one of its headquarters in France.

“We have no doubt that Italy will welcome the ship, ... that Italy will respect international law,” he told French news broadcaster BFM TV.

The German Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it has asked Italy to intervene quickly to help those aboard the German-flagged Humanitarian 1, with 179 people aboard. The boat is currently east of Sicily carrying 100 unaccompanied minors as well as a 7-month-old baby, the SOS Humanity charity that runs it said.

“They continue to be exposed to the elements, having to spend the cold nights on deck. Still, they are sleeping on the floor while winds and waves are increasing,’’ said spokesman Wasil Schauseil, adding that the state of limbo was adding to their mental stress. Fever was also spreading among the rescued people, with COVID tests turning up negative.

Darmanin said that France and Germany have told Italy that they are both ready to receive some of the migrants so that Italy won’t “bear the burden alone.”

Also at sea is Doctors Without Borders-run Geo Barents, also flagged by Norway, with 572 people on board, including 60 unaccompanied minors as well as families with children and the elderly.

Charities have denied circumventing procedures, and say it is their duty to rescue people in distress at sea. According to the UN refugee agency, coastal states are obligated to accept people from rescue ships “as soon as practicable,’’ and that governments should cooperate to provide a place of safety for survivors.