Spain offers the „Open Arms“ ship the Balearic island of Menorca as a landing port for the 107 refugees or migrants on board. The port of Mahon in Menorca is located 1,000 kilometers from Lampedusa and therefore much closer than the Algeciras not far from Gibraltar, which had been rejected by the crew because of the great distance.
Open Arms captain Marc Reig has not responded to Spain’s bid, it said. The dramatic situation on the Spanish rescue vessel „Open Arms“ yesterday escalated after two and a half weeks on the high seas. Desperate people jumped into the sea yesterday – apparently to try to reach the nearby Italian island of Lampedusa swimming.
Spain criticizes Salvini
Italy had only allowed the landing of 27 minor migrants on Saturday. The other people had to stay aboard. The Madrid government sharply criticized Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini for his relentless stance, saying in a statement of an „unbelievable reaction“ from the right-wing politician. Salvini responded on Twitter: „If you stay hard, you win.“
The Italian Coast Guard, meanwhile, has discovered 16 migrants on a boat near Lampedusa and brought them to the island, the Italian news agency ANSA reported on Monday. On Sunday, 57 migrants had reached Lampedusa by boat.
