For several days, the rescue ship „Sea-Watch 3“ off the Sicilian coast – but it may not invest. The ECtHR has now ordered Italy to take care of the migrants.
Italy needs to provide medical assistance, food and drinks to migrants on the blocked Sea-Watch 3 rescue vessel as soon as possible. This was ordered by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The helpers on the ship of the German aid organization Sea-Watch had taken about migrants before Libya about ten days ago. The ship is currently waiting in front of the Sicilian coast because it can not dock in Italy.
Migrants are not allowed to leave the ship
As the Strasbourg court announced, among other things, the captain and migrants on board had submitted requests for a so-called interim measure. Following this procedure, the Court can intervene in cases of imminent human rights violations and order states to remedy the situation.
Applicants complained that they were illegally detained on board and that migrants were suffering from health problems. Actually they had demanded that the migrants be allowed to leave the boat – the court did not comply.
„Sea-Watch 3“ under Dutch flag
Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini had stressed in the afternoon that the rescued in Italy could only go ashore if they were subsequently accepted by Germany or the Netherlands. The „Sea-Watch 3“ runs under Dutch flag. The Italian Government had earlier also complained that the Sea Watch had not approached Tunisia as the nearest „safe haven“ following the reception of migrants, but had completed a journey of hundreds of miles to Italy.
Italy, as a Member State of the Council of Europe, must comply with the order from Strasbourg. The government was required to inform the Court regularly on the situation on the ship.
