NGO ship Alan Kurdi has rescued 150 migrants from two boats off the coast of Libya. It is the only private rescue ship operating in the region right now. The coronavirus emergency could make it difficult for the ship to find a port for disembarkation.
One of Malta's largest migrant camps, Hal Far, was placed under quarantine on Sunday after eight migrants tested positive for the novel coronavirus over the last few days.
The organisation Mediterranea Saving Humans has announced the suspension of its migrant rescue operations at sea due to the coronavirus emergency.
Over 400 migrants have been picked up by the Libyan coast guard and returned to Libya over the weekend. That’s according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which called the action “unacceptable.”
Malta is ignoring pressing calls for help from migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, Sea rescue organization Alarm Phone has said. Their inflatable boat is out of fuel and losing air.
Malta is experiencing a record number of migrant arrivals in 2020, as 883 people have already arrived in the first two months of the year. That figure is around 16 times higher than the number of arrivals in the same period in 2019.
The NGO rescue ship Ocean Viking took on board 274 migrants in three rescue operations off the coast of Libya on Tuesday and Wednesday. Among them are reportedly 22 women and 64 minors.
The Spanish rescue organization Proactiva Open Arms rescued 365 migrants in the Central Mediterranean in several operations last week. After receiving permission to disembark, 363 people stepped ashore in the Italian town of Pozzallo on Sunday. Two migrants had been evacuated earlier for medical reasons.
Boats operated by non-profit groups have saved over 600 migrants in the Mediterranean within a week. Now, the 403 migrants rescued by the Ocean Viking have disembarked in Italy. Meanwhile, navy boats brought 77 migrants from the vessel Alan Kurdi to Malta.
The teams from two private rescue ships, the Alan Kurdi and the Ocean Viking, made several rescues over the weekend in the Mediterranean. In total, the two ships say they have 484 people on board. They are now hoping to find a safe harbor.
In 2018, several European countries agreed to set up a "solidarity mechanism" with the aim of fairly redistributing migrants, rescued in the Mediterranean, among them. InfoMigrants takes a closer look at the scheme's function and limitations.
The German sea rescue NGO Sea-Watch has accused the Maltese government of deliberate inaction when it comes to saving the lives of migrants and refugees in Mediterranean waters. In a series of tweets, the private sea rescue organization said that Maltese armed forces only appeared to intervene in such cases when they received according orders.