NGOs have announced that more than 1,000 illegal immigrants rescued in the Mediterranean are awaiting disembarkation in European ports, where they are still stranded on aid ships.
659 people were on board the Geo Barents ship of MSF, 387 on board the Ocean Viking chartered by SOS Mediterranean, and 438 on board Sea Watch 3 of the Marine Watch.
Also @MSF_Sea saved hundreds of people #Mediterranean Last few days. 659 people were taken on board the ship. #GeoBarents in 11 rescue operations and are now waiting for a safe port there – as are 387 people on #oceanviking. They all need to get to shore! https://t.co/3gUHDg4Cvg
— Sea-Watch International (@seawatch_intl) July 28, 2022
And on Thursday evening, Sea-Watch announced that Italian authorities had cleared its ship to dock at the port of Taranto in southern Italy.
The NGO tweeted: “Great relief but also concern: we have a two-day trip which means extra suffering for those who have already suffered so much.”
⭕ Security port for #SeaWatch3! ???????? The authorities appointed Taranto for us to disembark. On the one hand, relief, on the other, disappointment, because the journey there takes almost 2 days. More unnecessary hours that people on board have to endure in the heat. pic.twitter.com/AfpsRfmDhz
— Sea-Watch International (@seawatch_intl) July 28, 2022
Thousands of migrants have arrived in recent weeks on the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Sicily by boat, fishing boat or even rescued at sea by NGOs or the Italian Coast Guard.
Since January 1, 2022, 38,778 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea, compared with 27,771 in the same period in 2021 and 12,999 in 2020, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Source: AFP.