Italian authorities detained a German-operated charity ship, the Humanity 1, for 20 days in Crotone’s southern port following a rescue operation involving approximately 100 migrants in international waters, as reported by Reuters. This action is part of Italy’s enforcement of a migration decree by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration, targeting the activities of NGO-run rescue ships.
The vessel, affiliated with the SOS Humanity organization, had arrived in Crotone on Monday, after rescuing 77 migrants during the weekend. SOS Humanity faces allegations from Italian officials for not coordinating with Libyan authorities and compromising the safety of the migrants during the operation. A spokesperson for SOS Humanity rejected the accusations.
According to SOS Humanity, the incident occurred on Saturday as they responded to three boats in distress near Libya and Tunisia. The charity claims that a Libyan coast guard boat interfered with their rescue efforts, threatening their team and the migrants with a machine gun. This confrontation reportedly led to migrants entering the water, resulting in at least one fatality and the separation of families, with some individuals being rescued by the NGO and others by Libyan authorities.
International humanitarian law prohibits the forced return of migrants to countries where they risk severe harm, with documented cases of migrant abuse in Libya. Italy, along with other European Union countries, seeks to manage the flow of migrants from North Africa, offering financial support and equipment to Libya and Tunisia to prevent departures from their shores.
