The rescue ship “Ocean Viking”, operated by SOS Mediterranee, arrived today in the port of the Tuscan city of Carrara with 95 people on board. Italian media reported. The refugees had been brought to safety in the central Mediterranean region in the past few days.
Geo Barents landed in La Spezia
Most recently, the rescue ship “Geo Barents” operated by the NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) entered the port of the Ligurian city of La Spezia with 237 people on board. Italian media reported that Doctors Without Borders is threatened with confiscation of the ship and a fine of 10,000 euros because the aid organization did not abide by the Italian government’s recently issued Code of Conduct for Rescue Ships. The ruler of Carrara must now decide on this.
The law states that NGO ships can perform a maximum of one rescue before landing in Italy and are not allowed to rescue multiple boats. The Italian government wants to prevent rescue ships from bringing hundreds of people to Italy.
And it was said in Rome that since GeoParents had recently carried out three successive bailouts, it was now threatened with confiscation. Doctors Without Borders said the people on board, including 87 minors, were brought to safety this week by tired rubber dinghies.
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