UN urges Europe to let rescued migrants disembark

The United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have urged the European authorities to allow rescued migrants to disembark in their ports. The agencies have insisted that the lack of a deal on a regional landing system is not an excuse for the denying vulnerable people safe harbour.

The call followed the response of the European authorities to a rescued sea boat, SeaWatch 4, which claimed that it was carrying 350 people who needed to disembark as soon as possible. According to Chris Grodotzki, who was part of the Sea Watch 4 rescue team, the rescued passengers were “sea sick, they showed signs of fuel burns, they were disorientated, dehydrated.”

A joint statement by UNHCR and IOM said: “The humanitarian imperative of saving lives should not be penalized or stigmatized.”

TMP_ 14/09/2020

Photo Credit: istock/ Joel Carillet

Photo Caption: An inflatable boat filled with refugees and other migrants arrive on the north coast of the Greek Island of Lesbos.