More than 140 migrants leave “Humanity 1” in Sicilian port Luisa Neubauer defends climate protest: “Would never make people insecure”

More than 140 boat migrants left the German ship “Humanity 1” in the port of the Italian city of Catania. This was confirmed on Sunday morning by a spokeswoman for SOS Humanity of the German news agency.

30 people were not allowed to get off the ship

The crew received permission to enter the Sicilian port on Sunday evening. First of all, all minors disembarked. All male adults initially remained on the ship and were individually medically examined by the authorities. A group of just over 30 people was not allowed to leave the ship. According to SOS Humanity, one man collapsed and had to be removed from the ship. On Sunday morning, the organization announced that it had to leave the port. However, the captain rejected this and stated, according to the report: he could not leave the harbor until all the boat migrants had disembarked.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government has tightened migration policies since taking office in late October, but pledged to release the injured, women and children. Others should stay on the ships. From Rome’s point of view, the flag states are responsible for the people on board. In the case of “Humanity 1” that would be Germany.

Opposition criticizes Meloni .’s actions

The Italian opposition said the actions of the Meloni government violated the principles of humanity and international regulations. as Social Democratic leader Enrico Letta tweeted. Left-wing politician Aboubakar Soumahoro criticized in Catania that the government played a political game on the backs of babies, women and traumatized people. Head of state Sergio Mattarella must intervene to comply with the law, demanded the politician with Ivorian roots.

In the newspaper “Il Messaggero” (Sunday), Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani demanded that Brussels provide a coordinated solution. It is good to take in the sick, women and children. “We can’t turn the Mediterranean into a graveyard, but we need to know who is on board, where they came from and where they were taken.”

On Sunday morning, three more ships from private aid organizations carrying rescued boat migrants were on board off the east coast of Sicily, waiting for a port to be assigned. The German “Rise Above”, the “Geo Barents” and the “Ocean Viking” together have about 900 people on board. Private aid organizations regularly cross the Mediterranean to rescue migrants in distress sailing from North Africa to the EU in often unseaworthy boats. (saw/sda/dpa)