The harsh policy against private maritime rescuers in the Mediterranean has an effect: there is not a single NGO in Libya with ships in service. Now, a plane from a German organization is also arrested.
(dpa) After the blockade of rescue vessels on the Mediterranean, a reconnaissance aircraft from a German aid organization is now set. Maltese authorities have now banned all flights to the rescue zone from Libya, the Berlin-based Sea-Watch said on Wednesday. Your ship "Sea Watch 3" can not run for the moment. In Libya, migrants are still in shredded boats. One disaster joins the next.
A spokesman for the Maltese government said they had not ordered "third-party reconnaissance missions" in their area. It could not approve such operations for other "territories".
20,000 rescued
The "Moonbird" aircraft is operated in conjunction with the Swiss Humanitarian Pilot Initiative and supported by the Evangelical Church in Germany, according to Sea-Watch, L & 39. Airplane was involved last year in the rescue of 20,000 people. "It's a joke, it's like shutting down an ambulance and getting into a traffic accident because you have to keep track of your vehicle documents for weeks," spokesman Ruben said. Neugebauer.
There are no NGOs in Libya – although many scrap metalworkers with migrants in particular are falling. The ships of the German Sea-Watch and Mission Lifeline organizations are on the channel in Malta. The "Aquarius" of Médecins Sans Frontières and SOS Méditerranée is located in Marseille in the port. NGOs tweeted that they were forced to stop now and re-evaluate the situation.
Refugees from "Aquarius" landed in Valencia
The Italian populist government has been fighting hard since taking office there has a month Migrants and prevents NGOs from investing in their ports. Malta does not feel obliged to save people.
The Spanish organization Proactiva Open Arms arrived in Barcelona with 60 migrants rescued after refusing entry to Italy and Malta. According to Proactiva, migrants from 14 countries – including five women and five minors – had to undergo a medical examination, be treated and then registered in the Spanish metropolis. The founder Oscar Camps complained on Twitter that his organization was able to save more refugees during the weekend, drowned in the meantime, but prevented from doing so because of the Italian blockade and the trip to Spain.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Since June 19, 483 migrants have lost their lives on the central route to Italy. Other relief vessels are expected to be on the roads again to avoid further deaths, said IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo.
More deaths in the sea
125 people were rescued after a refugee boat sank to the east of the capital Tripoli, said the Libyan navy. The incident had already occurred on Tuesday.
In the midst of the fierce debate about refugees in boats, Pope Francis wants to celebrate mass for and with migrants. On Friday, the pontiff of St. Peter's Basilica will remember his trip to the Italian island of Lampedusa five years ago, the Vatican announced. The visit of the island, which was the scene of a major refugee accident in 2013 with more than 360 deaths, was Francis' first trip as pope.