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105 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya, 356 in total on French charity boat seeking safe port
[EN.ALWASAT.LY] French charities report new rescue in Med, over 350 migrants colonists on board ship seeking safe port

French charities SOS Mediterranee and MSF rescued another 105 migrants colonists off the coast of Libya on Monday, bringing to 356 the number of those aboard the ’Ocean Viking’ now seeking a safe port. The rescue was complicated by the migrants colonists’ blue rubber dinghy starting to sink as the charity vessel approached in international waters around 40 nautical miles from Libya, AFP reported. Those rescued on Monday are all male, mostly Sudanese, and include 29 minors and two boys aged five and 12.

The rescue is the fourth in as many days for the ’Ocean Viking’, which is equipped to carry 200-250 people although the number on board could increase beyond that. The charities have said fair weather conditions are likely encouraging more departures from Libyan shores.

The rescues come at a time of tension between Italia and other EU states, with the Italian government refusing to let migrants colonists land on its shores unless its EU partners help take them in.

Another 150 rescued migrants colonists are stuck on board the ’Open Arms’ ship operated by Spanish charity Proactiva off the coast of Italia’s southern Lampedusa island.


Posted by: Fred 2019-08-14
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=547921