Tag: migrants

A humanitarian boat with 59 migrants on board was rescued off Libya and is now heading to Barcelona, after Italy and Malta refused to allow the ship dock in their ports. The ship Open Arms is carrying five women and four children, and will arrive in Barcelona on Wednesday, July 4.

About 100 people have reportedly drowned from a migrant boat off Libya’s western coast, Libyan Coast Guard informed. Libya's Coast Guard gathered 14 survivors from the boat east of Tripoli. The coast guard has also intercepted 200 migrants from two additional migrant boats east of Tripoli as well.

The Dutch-flagged ship 'Lifeline' that about 230 rescued migrants on board for almost a week, finally docked in Malta on Wednesday, June 27. This development ends the dispute between Malt and Italy which refused to let the ship into one of its ports. The Maltese Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat said that the procedures for identification, to find out the migrants' asylum eligibility will start.

The Indian government has taken no steps to allow seafarers to disembark at ten key Indian ports due to lack of immigration officers stationed there, noted India's Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents, urging the government to act on the issue.

More than 100 migrants from the container ship 'Alexander Maersk' arrived in the southern port of Pozzallo in Sicily on Tuesday, June 26. The mayor of Pozzallo welcomed the Italian interior minister's decision to let the ship dock. An Italian doctor at the port examined the people and said that they are generally good in their health.

The containership 'Alexander Maersk' picked up 113 migrants from a boat off south Italy, on Friday June 22, Maersk Line informed during the weekend. Namely, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre asked the vessel to to change its course on Thursday, in order to pick up the migrants on Friday morning.

After refusing to accept 226 migrants onboard a German charity rescue ship last week, Italy now seems to relent, saying on Thursday it would take them in, but would impound the vessel. The crew of the ship operated by Mission Lifeline charity had spotted migrants in two overcrowded rubber boats in international waters on 14 June.

A workshop has taken place in Sri Lanka, Colombo, on 18-20 June, where maritime law experts and practitioners from around the world met to participate in two main sessions aimed at gathering State practice and interpretation information related to international legal instruments. 

A Greek court has cleared three Spanish and two Danish rescuers after accusations that they were trying to help illegal migrants enter Greece through the island of Lesbos. The incident happened during rescue mission in the Aegean sea. The five rescuers faced up to 10 years in prison, but the court in Lesbos decided that the accusation has not been proven. 

ICS announced its concern about the decision of the Italian Government to close its ports to migrants rescued by vessels operated by humanitarian NGOs. Except from serious implications for the safety of human life at sea, this refusal could also affect the traffic of trade throughout the Mediterranean.