Selection on the rescue ship: some are allowed ashore, others remain at sea Qatar’s foreign minister accuses the German government of “double standards”.

Italian authorities have allowed a ship belonging to the German aid organization SOS Humanity carrying 179 rescued migrants from the Mediterranean to enter a port in Sicily. More than 140 migrants left the “Humanity 1” there on Sunday morning, but 35 had to stay on board. Three other ships with a total of more than 900 people on board were waiting nor for permission to dock.

Doctor had to select people who were allowed to land

“As we feared, not everyone was allowed to disembark,” said SOS Humanity spokesman Wasil Schauseil. A doctor from the organization was asked to: select people in poor health. However, she explained that everyone was in a precarious position and that’s why she wouldn’t make a selection. More than 100 of the 179 passengers on board were minors, according to the organization.

Finally, after midnight, two Italian doctors boarded the “Humanity 1” and examined the people all night. They classified 36 of them as not in urgent need of help. According to the information, one person collapsed after this message and was picked up by an ambulance. That is why there are now 35 people on board, according to Schauseil.

Pulling a rope on the interpretation of the law of the sea

The new Italian government wants the countries under whose flag the private rescue ships sail to receive the migrants. The “Humanity 1” was only allowed access to the port on the condition that only minors and people in need of medical assistance disembark. SOS Humanity states that all migrants on board have been rescued from the water and are therefore entitled to a safe harbor under international law.

By Sunday afternoon, the “Humanity 1” had not yet received a request to leave the port of Catania, as stipulated in a directive signed by Italian ministers on Friday. She states that a Rescue vessel may only remain in Italian waters until it is determined which passengers require medical attention.

Germany and France had previously asked Italy to provide a safe haven for the migrants. The two countries had announced that they wanted to take in some of the migrants so that Italy wouldn’t have to do it alone.

Despite severe weather no permission

There were no such offers for the other three ships “Geo Barentsz” with 572 migrants on board and the “Rise Above” by the German organization Mission Lifeline with 93 migrants entered Italian waters east of Sicily last weekend. They sought shelter from severe weather there, but were not allowed to enter a harbor despite repeated requests.

That of the aid organization SOS Méditerranée “Ocean Viking” with 234 Migrants remained in international waters, south of the Strait of Messina. Their requests for a port have also gone unanswered so far.

The Italian government insists that the countries flying the flag of the private rescue ships must receive the migrants. Non-governmental organizations reject this. They explain that according to the law of the sea, they are obliged to rescue people in need. Coastal states, in turn, would have a duty to provide a safe harbor as soon as possible.