The ship of the NGO SOS Mediterranee is ready to dock on Wednesday in Marina di Carrara, after having saved 64 people, including 12 minors, in Libyan waters. Unfortunately, during the rescue operation, the lifeless body of a migrant was also recovered, presumably part of the crew of a shipwreck that caused 11 victims, recovered by the Geo Barens ship. The body was transferred to a patrol boat of the Coast Guard to be transferred to Lampedusa, as ordered by the Ministry. In the afternoon, a meeting will be held in the prefecture in Carrara to coordinate the disembarkation and sorting operations of the migrants.
Criticisms of NGOs
As often happens, NGO spokesmen harshly criticized the Italian authorities’ policy of assigning safe ports. On social media, those responsible for the rescue operation said: “By assigning ports so far away, the Italian authorities are effectively ’emptying’ the central Mediterranean of rescue ships like the Ocean Viking, thus allowing these tragic events to continue to happen.”
Previous to Marina di Carrara
It was the Ocean Viking itself, on 30 January 2023, that opened the port of Marina di Carrara to the landings of migrants. Since then, there have been 12 landings at this location. The procedures are therefore well tested during all rescue operations and transfer of migrants to the various locations assigned by the ministry.
