Italy’s new far-right government blocks rescue ship from docking

Italy’s far-right interior minister Matteo Salvini has blocked a ship carrying rescued migrants from docking in Italian ports and declared victory for his country. “Saving lives at sea is a duty, but transforming Italy into an enormous refugee camp is not,” Salvini said.

Some 629 migrants, including 123 unaccompanied minors and seven pregnant women had been aboard the Aquarius rescue ship since the 10th of June, when both Italy and Malta refused to let them dock.

Salvini, the head of anti-immigrant League party, blocked the rescue ship Aquarius from docking at Italian ports and said it should go to Malta instead. Malta subsequently refused, saying that a rescue mission overseen by the Italian coastguard is Italy’s responsibility.

As France, Germany, the European Union and the UN Refugee Agency called on Italy and Malta to accept their humanitarian responsibilities, Spain unexpectedly announced that it would let the rescue ship dock in its eastern port of Valencia. “It is our obligation to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and offer a safe port for these people,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s office said in a statement.

The Aquarius was heavily overcrowded, making the four-day voyage to Spain dangerous. Italy volunteered two boats to ease this and accompany the Aquarius to Spain.

Doctors Without Borders warned that food and water supplies on the ship would run out, and said that some of the passengers were suffering from water in their lungs, while others had chemical burns caused by gasoline mixing with seawater.

“Italy is done bowing its head and obeying. This time there’s someone saying no,” Salvini said. A day before the rescue, saying the country is “under attack from the south” referring to Sub-Saharan migrants, Salvini suggested that NATO should intervene to protect Italy.

More than 600,000 African migrants have reached Italian shores over the last five years, and it is estimated as many as 500,000 are still in the country.

During the recent elections in Italy in March, immigration was a key part of the League party campaign.

TMP – 30/07/2018

Photo caption: A poster of Matteo Salvini saying ‘Italians First’ at a political rally organised by the League party at Milan’s Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Italy, 24 February 2018.