The Italian coast guard rescued migrants who jumped from a rescue ship off the coast of southern Italy and tried to swim ashore. The ship was seeking permission to bring the migrants to shore, despite an Italian ban on docking private rescue ships.
Italian coastguards rescued more than 10 migrants wearing life jackets who had jumped from a rescue ship stranded off southern Italy and tried to swim to shore Tuesday, according to a Spanish charity in charge of the ship.
Almost 100 migrants were on-board the Open Arms ship at sea for 19 days. The vessel was waiting off the port of Lampedusa, seeking permission to bring the mostly African people to shore, according to Reuters. The boat was stranded due to an Italian ban on the docking of private rescue ships, which has created ongoing problems under the right-wing interior minister Matteo Salvini, who took office last year.
Minors and sick migrants have been transported ashore, but the remaining people are still sleeping and living together on deck, according to Reuters. Italy argues it has taken on too much of the responsibility in African migration to Europe, with Salvini, who is anti-migration, calling these charity-run ships"taxis" for human smugglers.Spain has said it is sending a naval ship to escort the Open Arms and the people on it to a port on the Spanish island of Mallorca, The Associated Press reported.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Spain and Italy deal to disembark migrants in Mallorca: Open ArmsSpain and Italy appear to have struck a deal that will see the 107 migrants stra...
Read more »
Open Arms suggests Italy take rescue ship migrants to SpainThe commanders of a rescue ship with 98 migrants aboard declined to leave Italia...
Read more »
Desperate migrants leap off charity ship near ItalyMigrants on a rescue ship stranded off the coast of southern Italy jumped overboard and tried to swim ashore as the Spanish charity operating the vessel remained in a stand-off with the Italian government over the migrants' fate.
Read more »
The Latest: 9 migrants jump into sea trying to reach ItalyMILAN (AP) — The Latest on the European migrant crisis: 11:35 a.m. The humanitarian group Open Arms say another nine migrants have jumped into the sea 'desperately trying to reach the...
Read more »