There are 356 migrants on the Ocean Viking ship, which has not been allowed to dock by Italian and Maltese authorities for two weeks. The vessel picked up several groups of migrants but is running out of food.
There is a "psychological emergency" for the migrants on the Ocean Viking, according to Luca Pigozzi, a doctor onboard the rescue ship. The Ocean Viking has been waiting for a port to disembark for almost two weeks.
A boat packed with over 100 migrants is feared to have sunk off the Libyan coast. A local fisherman contacted the distress hotline Alarmphone and said he rescued 3 people and saw many dead bodies in the water.
18-year-old Hikma from Ethiopia fled from Africa to Europe, passing through Libya. Hikma was rescued at sea by the ship Open Arms and disembarked in Italy. She shared her traumatic story with us.
The Italian interior ministry has reported that 4,040 migrants have landed on Italy's coasts since the start of the year, as of August 7. That's a 78.61% decrease compared to the same period last year.
After the fourth rescue in four days, NGO rescue ship Ocean Viking now has over 350 migrants on board waiting for a safe harbor - but the vessel is only equipped to carry 200 to 250 people. Italy and Malta continue to deny entry into their ports.
Three migrants have been evacuated from the rescue vessel Open Arms for medical reasons. More than 150 others remain on board after being rescued 11 days ago by the Spanish charity Proactiva Open Arms. Another rescue vessel, the Ocean Viking, is also stranded in the Mediterranean after picking up 251 migrants. Italy and Malta continue to deny entry into their ports.
The Mediterranean route remains one of the deadliest migration routes in the world. German NGO Sea-Watch has operated reconnaissance flights as part of its mission to prevent deaths on the high seas.
Doctors Without Borders and SOS Mediterranee, which operate the new migrant rescue ship, say the mainly Sudanese men and adolescents were picked up off the coast of Libya during three rescue missions.
Earlier this year, InfoMigrants managed to communicate with an Ivorian minor locked up in a house in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. For several days, the 16-year-old called Mariam* recounted her experiences in captivity including repeated rapes, her fear of falling pregnant and her dreams of reaching Europe. But then there was silence. Here's an animated account of Mariam's horrific story.
Private rescue missions are increasingly facing rejection by ports in Italy and now Malta. One particular vessel, the Ocean Viking, is now prepared for all emergencies on board because of this — including pregnancies and births.
![A migrant rescue ship carrying 41 migrants enters the port of Lampedusa, Sicily [from our archives] | Photo: ANSA/ ELIO DESIDERIO](https://scd.infomigrants.net//media/resize/my_image_big/9b272bd3c6c37fa30ebb24c76da5df42a0069c89.jpeg)
A boat with 48 migrants onboard has reached Lampedusa without aid. According to witness reports, the migrants traveled for two days after leaving Libya and several people, including a five-month old baby boy, died at sea.