ROME, Sept 19 (NNN-TELESUR) — Italy allowed the Open Arms rescue vessel to disembark 150 migrants on the Sicily island where they will remain in quarantine.
“Ten days after having rescued 276 people in international waters in the Mediterranean and reaching a limit situation on board, Italy authorized the disembarkation of the 150 migrants who will spend the quarantine period on the ship Allegra, which is moored in the Palermo port,” Open Arms Director Oscar Camps tweeted.
Between Sept 8 and 11, the Spanish humanitarian ship rescued almost three hundred migrants who were sailing through the Mediterranean in boats at risk of sinking.
For weeks, the authorities of Malta and Italy did not offer any concrete solution to the humanitarian emergency that the boat was going through.
The meme reads, “This morning, authorities also asked the SeaWatch4 crew to provide assistance to the 48 people who jumped over the Open Arms. They should be able to disembark immediately.”
Over the last two days, as a result of tension and despair, 125 desperate migrants jumped off the Open Arms ship and tried to swim to Palermo.
“The exasperation of the migrants on board was linked to Malta’s refusal to grant the Open Arms a safe haven. This forced Italy to become more welcoming,” local outlet Libero Quotidiano commented.
“Now, Italy has a more collaborative attitude, but we’ve been at sea for ten days, anyway. It was heartbreaking,” the Open Arms Italy mission chief Riccardo Gatti said.
“The worst of all is that these situations are becoming normal. The rescue system at sea, which should apply to anyone, has been destroyed. It is not guaranteed for those who are labeled as migrants,” he added. — NNN-TELESUR