Home > Fresh storm brews over fate of Aquarius migrant rescue ship

News
Fresh storm brews over fate of Aquarius migrant rescue ship

Description

A new diplomatic row loomed Monday over the Aquarius as its operators announced the migrant rescue ship was heading to France, only for the French government to say it should dock at the nearest safe port instead. The ship, the only charity-operated rescue boat working in the central Mediterranean, has been repeatedly turned away by Italy and been forced to stop in Malta and Spain after missions in recent months. On Monday SOS Méditerranée, the charity which runs it, said its “only option” after picking up 58 migrants in its latest rescue was to head to the southern French port of Marseille where the NGO is headquartered.“We alerted other countries but we find it hard to imagine that France would refuse, given the humanitarian situation,” said Francis Vallat, the head of SOS Méditerranée’s French operations.But the French government appeared reluctant to welcome the boat—which has become a bitter symbol of European divisions over migration—to dock.

Added on the 25/09/2018 11:16:25 - Copyright : France 24 EN

To customise your video :

More videos on the subject

People march in south of France to support migrant rescue ship

Thousands marched in the southern French city of Marseille on Saturday in support of the migrant rescue ship Aquarius, which is grounded in Marseille harbour, preventing it from trying to rescue migrants in the waters off Libya as they seek to make the perilous journey to Europe. IMAGES

07/10/2018 - AFPTV - First images
The Aquarius migrant rescue ship docks in Valencia

Rescue ship Aquarius (with orange hull) arrives in the Spanish port of Valencia. The 630 migrants whose rescue sparked a major migration row in Europe began disembarking various ships, after a turbulent week that saw Italy turn away the Aquarius ship. 1ST IMAGES

17/06/2018 - AFPTV - First images
Migrant rescue ship arrives in France after Italian refusal

A charity ship carrying more than 200 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean enters the French port of Toulon, after the country allowed the ship to disembark in response to Italy's refusal to take passengers in. IMAGES

11/11/2022 - AFPTV - First images
Migrant rescue ship activists receive Catalan medal of honour

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola awards the Catalonian Parliament's Gold Medal, its highest award, to migrant rescue ship captain Carola Rackete and Proactiva Open Arms founder Oscar Camps. IMAGES

10/09/2019 - AFPTV - First images
Migrant rescue ship with 147 migrants arrives off Lampedusa (2)

Spanish humanitarian ship Open Arms arrives off the island of Lampedusa with 147 migrants on board, after a judge in Rome suspended far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's decree banning them from Italy's territorial waters. IMAGES

15/08/2019 - AFPTV - First images
Migrant rescue ship docks in Spain again after Italian refusal

An NGO ship which saved 87 migrants in distress off the coast of Libya docks in Spain after roaming the Mediterranean for days, the third such vessel to be allowed to enter the country in two monthsafter Italy refused to take them in. IMAGES

09/08/2018 - AFPTV - First images