Italy backs down on 3 migrant ships, 4th heads to Corsica
2 years, 2 months ago

Italy backs down on 3 migrant ships, 4th heads to Corsica

Associated Press  

ROME — A European humanitarian group said Wednesday its migrant rescue ship was heading to the French island of Corsica in hopes France will offer its 234 passengers a safe port, as a diplomatic standoff intensified after Italy relented and allowed migrants from three other rescue ships to disembark on Italian soil. The European Commission added to the pressure to find a safe port for the Ocean Viking, issuing a statement late Wednesday demanding that the passengers — some of whom have been at sea for nearly three weeks — be allowed to immediately disembark “at the nearest place of safety.” The statement was unusual since the Commission hasd remained quiet on the drama all week, refusing to get involved except to restate that it’s up to member countries to handle search and rescue operations and disembarkation matters, not Brussels. Spokesman Olivier Veran told France Info radio that the Ocean Viking “is intended to be welcomed in Italy” since it was in Italian territorial waters and said Italy’s refusal to allow passengers to disembark was “unacceptable.” Since Italy is the top beneficiary of the European Union financial solidarity system, he demanded that “Italy plays its role and respects its European commitments.” By late Tuesday, the remaining passengers on three other humanitarian-operated ships that Italy had initially refused to take in had disembarked at Italian ports. In the statement prematurely announcing a French decision to open its port to the Ocean Viking, she said it was important to “continue this line of European collaboration with the countries most exposed to find a shared solution.” “The immigration emergency is a European issue and must be dealt with as such, with full respect of human rights and the principle of legality,” she said.

History of this topic

European charity ship rescues 135 migrants but is assigned to distant port in Italy with 359 aboard
9 months, 3 weeks ago
Survivors of Mediterranean rescue say about 60 people died on the trip from Libya, aid group reports
9 months, 3 weeks ago
Survivors of Mediterranean rescue say about 60 people died on the trip from Libya, aid group reports
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Migrant rescue ship docks in French port amid Italy rift
2 years, 1 month ago
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2 years, 2 months ago
French-Italian fight puts a deal helping migrants in peril
2 years, 2 months ago
Italy backs down on 3 migrant ships, 4th heads to Corsica
2 years, 2 months ago
Italy allows more migrants off rescue ships, standoff eases
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Don't Send Migrants Back to Libya and 'inhumane' Camps, Urges Pope Francis
3 years, 2 months ago
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4 years, 6 months ago
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5 years ago
Sea-Watch 3: Refugee ship defies Italy's far-right leader Matteo Salvini by taking rescued migrants to port
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