Malta rescues 85 migrants from sinking vessel
A total of 85 migrants were rescued from the sinking wooden boat off the coast of Malta. The Mediterranean island has been allowing more migrants on its shores in response to pressure from Italy.
mediterranean sea
Dozens of migrants drown off coast of Tunisia after heading to Italy
A boat carrying people towards Europe capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, with dozens losing their lives in the deadliest migrant boat sinking in months. Nearby fishing boats managed to save 16 people.
German-run migrant rescue ship Sea-Watch 3 to resume operations after court ruling
Germany’s non-profit Sea-Watch has announced it would resume its mission to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean. On Tuesday, the organization had achieved a partial success at a Dutch court, giving the NGO more time to meet new safety regulations.
Hoping to help: The long journey of a Spanish rescue ship banned from rescues
The Aita Mari was supposed to run search and rescue missions in the Central Mediterranean. But the Spanish government denied the ship permission to do so and blocked it from setting sail for months. That's why the crew decided to go on an aid mission in Greece instead.
Stabilizing the Mediterranean
Italy and Tunisia have signed several agreements on cooperation in areas including migration and human smuggling. Top government officials from both countries met in Tunis on Tuesday for talks, which also covered the civil war in neighboring Libya.
Libyan Coast Guard stops more than 100 people trying to reach Italy
The Libyan Coast Guard has stopped three boats carrying 113 migrants trying to reach Italy in the past two days. The migrants have been taken to detention centers in towns west of Tripoli, according to UN migration officials.
Warning of 'Libyan death zone' as Tripoli stops migrant rescues
The Libyan Coast Guard has not been operating in its maritime rescue zone for three weeks. A German search and rescue NGO, Sea-Eye, has called for Malta to take over and has warned of a 'Libyan death zone.'
Italian coastguard declares migrant rescue ship Mare Jonio unfit for sea
Sea-Watch's rescue ship Mare Jonio, which rescued 49 migrants off Libya last month, has been declared unfit for rescue operations at sea by the Italian coastguard.
Frontex denies documentation of NGO-trafficker collusion
The EU border agency Frontex has denied having documented any "collusion" between NGOs and human traffickers. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner had claimed earlier in the week that Frontex knew of NGOs aiding smugglers.
Refugees on stranded NGO rescue ship in 'poor state'
The Sea-Eye rescue ship Alan Kurdi is anchored off the coast of Malta with over 60 refugees on board. The vessel has been forbidden to dock. Sea-Eye spokesperson Carlotta Weibl spoke with DW about the situation.
'Saving lives is an obligation' says founder of Spanish NGO
Open Arms founder Oscar Camps told ANSA in an interview that saving lives at sea is not about legality but rather "an obligation." He defended the actions of the ship Alan Kurdi run by the German NGO Sea Eye which Italy has so far blocked from disembarking at the island of Lampedusa.
Blockaded migrant rescue ship 'Alan Kurdi' running out of food and water
Supplies on board the migrant rescue ship 'Alan Kurdi' are running low, the non-government organization Sea Eye says. Six days after the rescue of 64 migrants off the Libyan coast, food and drinking water has nearly run out. Malta and Italy continue to refuse the ship permission to dock.