More than 500 refugees arrive in Italy as rescue ships dock

Italian inside ministry sources say the choice to permit the 2 ships to dock was primarily based on the poor climate and dangers confronted by these on board.

Italy, which has vowed a tricky line on immigration, took in additional than 500 refugees as two charity rescue ships have been allowed to dock at ports within the south after a number of days at sea in dangerous climate.

The Geo Barents ship, operated by the Docs With out Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) charity and which had 248 refugees on board, arrived in Salerno within the southwestern area of Campania on Sunday, MSF mentioned.

On the opposite aspect of the nation, the Humanity 1, one other rescue vessel run by the charity SOS Humanity, docked within the port metropolis of Bari after the Italian authorities agreed to grant it permission.

The journey was extraordinarily powerful and the ship confronted 3-metre (10-foot) excessive waves and robust winds, SOS Humanity mentioned in a tweet, confirming its arrival with 261 refugees on board.

How to reply to requests for assist from the charity boats that decide up migrants and refugees within the Mediterranean is a problem for Italy’s new right-wing authorities led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Change of coverage?

Tensions flared with neighbour France final month after the French took in a ship that had been turned away by Italy.

Italian inside ministry sources mentioned the choice to permit the 2 ships to dock was primarily based on the poor climate situations and the dangers confronted by these on board, fairly than representing a change of coverage.

It accuses the charity ships of creating it simpler for financial migrants to succeed in Italy and taking part in into the arms of individuals traffickers.

The ministry was engaged on new rules to guard Italy’s borders and halt the folks smugglers, the sources mentioned.

A 14-year-old boy, who was travelling alone, was airlifted from the Geo Barents to Sicily after struggling acute belly ache, MSF mentioned on Friday.

On Wednesday, a child was born on the identical vessel and later flown together with his mom and three siblings to Italy.