By Steve Scherer ROME, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Italy's closing of its ports to rescued migrants is driving up deaths at sea, an Italian think tank said on Monday, using calculations based on numbers collected by U.N. agencies. Since taking power in June, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who heads the far-right League party, has refused to allow charity rescue ships to dock in … [Read more...]
Portugal, Spain, France, Germany Agree to Take in Aquarius Ship Migrants
By Michel Rose PARIS/LISBON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - France, Portugal, Spain and Germany struck a deal on Tuesday to take in migrants from the Mediterranean rescue ship Aquarius sailing off the coast of Malta, the French government said, after Italy refused to let the vessel dock. The agreement marks the second such co-operation between European countries since Italy's new … [Read more...]
Panama Revokes Registration of Last Migrant Rescue Ship in Central Mediterranean
MILAN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - The Panama Maritime Authority has revoked the registration of search and rescue ship Aquarius 2 in a move that means there will be no charity rescue ships off the Libyan coast in the near future unless the vessel can find a new flag to sail under. Aquarius 2, the one remaining charity rescue vessel still operating in the Central Mediterranean area, … [Read more...]
Italy Allows Docking of Ship with Migrants, Ends Standoff with Malta
By Steve Scherer ROME, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Italy will let its coastguard ship carrying 177 migrants it rescued five days ago dock in Sicily, ending a standoff with Malta, its transport minister said on Monday, though it was not clear when and if the migrants would be allowed to disembark. The European Commission also said it was working on a solution to share out the … [Read more...]
Italy Refuses Safe Harbor To Migrant Ship M/V Aquarius
Antonio Denti (Reuters) - Italy on Monday denied safe harbor to 141 people rescued by the humanitarian ship M/V Aquarius off the coast of Libya last week, setting up another standoff with European Union allies over taking in migrants who try to cross the Mediterranean. The Aquarius, run by Franco-German charity SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), picked … [Read more...]