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.
As a result of new amendments to Italy’s security decree, fines up to one million euros could be imposed on private rescue organizations who attempt to disembark rescued migrants in Italy or defy refusals to enter Italian waters. The latest amendments were passed into law by Italy’s upper house, the Senate, on Monday, August 5.
Mariam, a 23-year-old woman from Liberia, was rescued by the Sea-Watch 3 in June and taken to Lampedusa. InfoMigrants spoke to her shortly after her arrival on the Italian island.
Sea-Watch 3 captain Carola Rackete has pleaded with authorities not to be distracted from the humanitarian crisis off the coast of Libya. She said the EU needs to stop cooperating with the Libyan coast guard.
The recent cases of the vessels Sea-Watch 3, Alex, and Alan Kurdi mark one year since the standoff began between migrant rescue NGOs and Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini over his closed-port policy.
German NGO Sea-Watch said it wants to share the donations it has collected for captain Carola Rackete with other migrant rescue organizations that operate in the Mediterranean. Sea-Watch 3 captain Rackete, who is hiding in Italy, said she doesn’t want to return to Germany for the time being.
Stand-offs between the Italian government and private rescue organizations have become fairly commonplace in the last year. With each side laying claim to having the right on their side, it can sometimes be difficult to understand what is going on. So InfoMigrants decided to look more closely at the International Law of the Sea for some clarification.
Carole Rackete says she is concerned about the rhetoric used by Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini over the migrant rescue crisis. The German captain was arrested after forcing her ship into an Italian port.
A sailboat belonging to Italian charity Mediterranea Saving Humans has rescued 54 people including pregnant women and children in distress off the Italian island of Lampedusa. Barred from docking in Italy, it refuses to accept an offer by Malta to take in the migrants. It is the 21st stand-off since Italy's populist government has begun refusing any port access to humanitarian groups rescuing migrants at sea.
The private search-and-rescue organization Sea-Watch made headlines when its captain Carola Rackete defied orders by Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and docked a ship in Lampedusa with 40 rescued migrants on board. What’s next for the NGO and its captain, who has fast become a heroine for migrant supporters?
After the latest stand-off with the Italian government, German NGO Sea Watch has said that it will resume migrant rescue operations at sea as soon as possible.
Carola Rackete, the 31-year-old German captain of a migrant rescue vessel, was detained in Italy after refusing to stand down in the face of military orders. Italy had banned the Sea-Watch ship from entering its waters.