The last private rescue ship on a road migrating into the deadly Mediterranean loses its registration: NPR

International charities are revolting after Panama revokes the registration of a search and rescue vessel that it says is the only one of its kind in the central Mediterranean to save migrants in danger. They say it amounts to a death sentence for hundreds of people trying to get safe.

The organizations, SOS Mediterranean and Médecins Sans Frontières, said in a statement that the Panama Maritime Authority "has been forced to revoke the registration of the search and rescue vessel Aquarius, under the flagrant economic and political pressure of the Italian government ".

The ship rescued migrants as they headed for a deadly and dangerous road between Libya and Europe.

According to the Associated Press, "the Panamanian maritime authorities said in a statement that they had initiated proceedings to withdraw the registration of Aquarius 2 after Italy complained that the boat's captain had not complied with the regulations. orders".

The Italian government has denied putting pressure on Panama. In a tweetItalian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said he did not even know the Panama area code.

Humanitarian organizations said that the Panamanian authorities sent them a letter stating that "unfortunately, it is necessary that [the ship] to be excluded from our register, as this implies a political problem against the Panamanian government and the Panamanian fleet arriving at the European port. "

In order to continue its rescue mission, Aquarius 2 must now find another country where he can register. The organizations say they are asking the European governments to issue them a new flag. They claim that the vessel "meets all maritime standards and fully complies with the stringent technical specifications required by the Panamanian flag".

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 96,000 migrants arrived in Europe in 2018, most via dangerous shipping routes. According to the IOM, more than 1,700 migrants have died or disappeared.

Aquarius has been under increasing pressure. He had been registered in Gibraltar – but according to The Guardian, "last month, he had spent 19 days in the French port of Marseille after Gibraltar revoked his flag." And his time under the flag of Panama was short-lived.

The ship is now en route to Marseille and charities claim to have 58 people on board. "We solemnly ask the French authorities to authorize, for humanitarian reasons, to land in France those who are on board," said Frédéric Penard, director of operations of SOS Mediterranean. at a press conference on Monday. "That's the only option."

The relationship between the ship and Italy deteriorated in June when Salvini "ordered a blockage of mooring rights" when the vessel was carrying over 600 migrants, as reported Sylvia Poggioli, from NPR.

He said at the time that "if anyone in the EU thinks that Italy should continue to be a landing point and a refugee camp, they are hurting including". Since then, Salvini has doubled his anti-immigration stance.

Charities point out that international maritime law requires them to land people in a safe place.

"The US refugee agency has said that Libya, largely lawless, bloodied by a recent upsurge in militia fighting, is not a safe haven," the AP reports. "Returning migrants are brought back to detention centers where food is scarce and beatings and sexual assault are common."