MORE INFORMATION
“I’m Not afraid to die; I am afraid of Libya,” Spain negotiates to return to Libya to 12 migrants rescued by a fishing boat
The Government maintains its decision to leave in the hands of the libyan authorities the target of 12 migrants (including two minors) who were rescued last Thursday in international waters by a Spanish fishing. The Ombudsman asked the Foreign study the possibility of allowing their disembarkation in Spain “for humanitarian reasons” and recalled that the High Commissioner of United Nations for Refugees (UNHCR) do not consider Libya a safe haven for migrants. Three organizations dedicated to the rescue in the Mediterranean also rejected the delivery of the castaways to Libya.
The Vice president of the Government, which heads the negotiations with the libyan authorities to take the rescued, stated that Libya, being the nearest port, is the most secure. The legislation defines as a safe harbor that which you can arrive, stay and leave without the ship in danger.
“it’s Not just the risk a boat, we’re talking about people. Returns hot. Are the castaways that they should be landed as soon as possible in a safe harbor, and Libya is not,” complained Ricardo Gatti, captain of the Open Arms, whose crew has provided medical assistance and food to the fishing Our Mother Loreto, based in Santa Pola (Alicante). The International Maritime Organization, which regulates the actions in the areas of rescue, warns that States must “respect the principles of international protection”. These include the non-refoulement of refugees or asylum seekers to territories where their life or freedom is jeopardized because of their race, religion or nationality.
The position of the Government represents a turning point in his pólítica to the rescue operations of migrants in the Central Mediterranean, where so far this year has killed more than 1.277 people, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Since I decided to embrace the Aquarius in June, with 630 persons on board, the Executive of Pedro Sánchez Milanobet has offered on three occasions over a secure port in Spain, although each time with less enthusiasm.
The lack of consensus on what to do with the rescued before the policy closed ports of Malta and Italy has led the Government to seek outputs negotiated with its european partners. On the 15th of August, the president Sanchez is congratulated for having led a covenant by which he got for Malta to accept the disembarkation of 141 shipwrecked, rescued by the Aquarius, and six countries of the EU to take over its host.
The situation in Our Mother Loreto live with agony. The Vice president recognizes that the situation of the fishing boat, which is facing a temporary, is a “serious risk” because the number of people on board doubling its capacity. The boat of 24 metres in length, is 100 miles from Tripoli and 120 of Malta, waiting for it to decide your roadmap in an office. At the close of this edition, the Spanish Embassy in Tripoli still awaited a response from the libyan authorities. Rescue organizations Proactive, Open Arms, Be-Watch and the Mediterranean have asked the Spanish Government that requires you to Italy and to Malta to open its ports to the ship. The Generalitat valenciana has offered its ports for the reception of migrants.
The crew is “very busy weathering the storm and worried about the kids,” he told Vicente Sampere, the second pattern of the boat. “You are not accustomed to the sea and are very seasick, don’t stop to vomit.” Its purpose was to turn towards the north to continue fishing. “And after we can take refuge and refuel, because we only need food and gas for six days,” says Sampere.
For the moment, are trying to maneuver to stay in the same place. In the fishing did not fell well the words of the Foreign minister, Josep Borrell, said this Tuesday that the situation of the ship, “non-emergency”, for “continue to operating and individuals which have on-board are served”.
“We stopped to fish so as not to put at risk the safety of these people”, he defended the pattern of the Paschal Durá. He is not a supporter of deliver the migrants to the libyan and, although this would entail an economic damage enormous, is willing to take them to a Spanish port.
