The rescue vessel “Ocean Viking” with 180 migrants on Board has declared a state of emergency. Seven requests to the authorities for allocation of a safe port were rejected; within the past 24 hours, six people had made a suicide attempt, said the organization SOS Méditerranée for Germany on Friday. “The Rescued have begun today in the Morning on a hunger strike,” explained Verena Papke, the managing Director of the organization.
The Situation on the ship had deteriorated so that the safety of the Rescued and of the crew was not assured. On Friday afternoon, had informed Italy about the state of emergency. Previously, you had requested in vain a transfer of 44 people, the mental disorders showed. It was an unprecedented step in the history of the “Ocean Viking”.
The people were rescued on Thursday of last week, and on Tuesday in the sea of distress, had SOS Méditerranée reported. Italy and Malta had declared that it is in the Corona-pandemic non-secure ports. Nevertheless, migrants from Libya and Tunisia in the direction of Europe, to break. Rome and Valletta took last again migrants by private ships, but the countries are reluctant with the allocation of ports, often for a long time. You demand from other EU member States regularly Representations about the further distribution of the people.
The privately operated rescue ship was stung at the beginning of last week from Marseille in the lake and had several operations since the 26. June a total of 180 boat migrants rescued. On the occasion of the on Wednesday launched the German EU-presidency, SOS Mediterranean, foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) called on a Petition for the introduction of an EU rescue programme.
