German rescue ship Eleonore docks in Sicily, gets confiscated

German rescue ship Eleonore docked in Sicily on Monday in defiance of a ban from the Italian government, which has now seized the ship. Outgoing Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said that the Mission-Lifeline charity that operates the vessel would pay dearly for the violation.

“Now we are in a safe port,” captain Claus-Peter Reisch wrote on Twitter, followed shortly thereafter by “now our ship is confiscated.”

DW reports “Eleonore had been at sea for eight days, amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions for the over 100 people it had saved from drowning in the Mediterranean.

Another rescue ship, the Mare Jonio, announced that it would also dock in spite of the ban due to “health reasons.” It currently has 31 rescued migrants on board.

German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr said that German authorities were in touch with Italian authorities regarding the situation.

“A good and quick solution needs to be found for this case too,” she told reporters in Berlin, referring to deals being struck in the past to distribute migrants rescued at sea to willing EU member state.”

Via DW

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