AP

Italy backs down on 3 migrant ships, 4th heads to Corsica

Nov 8, 2022, 12:29 PM | Updated: Nov 9, 2022, 10:50 am

A migrant is registered before disembarking from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after h...

A migrant is registered before disembarking from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after having been allowed by Italian authorities, in Catania's port, Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. While the Geo Barents was allowed to disembark all its migrants, the German-flagged Humanity1 is still at harbor in Catania with 35 aboard still waiting for permission, and another rescue ship, the Ocean Viking is appealing France for a safe port. (AP Photo/Massimo Di Nonno)

(AP Photo/Massimo Di Nonno)


              A migrant is registered before disembarking from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after having been allowed by Italian authorities, in Catania's port, Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. While the Geo Barents was allowed to disembark all its migrants, the German-flagged Humanity1 is still at harbor in Catania with 35 aboard still waiting for permission, and another rescue ship, the Ocean Viking is appealing France for a safe port. (AP Photo/Massimo Di Nonno)
            
              Migrants disembark from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after having been allowed by Italian authorities, in Catania's port, Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. While the Geo Barents was allowed to disembark all its migrants, the German-flagged Humanity1 is still at harbor in Catania with 35 aboard still waiting for permission, and another rescue ship, the Ocean Viking is appealing France for a safe port. (AP Photo/Massimo Di Nonno)
            
              Migrants disembark from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after having been allowed by Italian authorities, in Catania's port, Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. While the Geo Barents was allowed to disembark all its migrants, the German-flagged Humanity1 is still at harbor in Catania with 35 aboard still waiting for permission, and another rescue ship, the Ocean Viking is appealing France for a safe port. (AP Photo/Massimo Di Nonno)
            
              Migrants disembark from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after having been allowed by Italian authorities, in Catania's port, Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. While the Geo Barents was allowed to disembark all its migrants, the German-flagged Humanity1 is still at harbor in Catania with 35 aboard still waiting for permission, and another rescue ship, the Ocean Viking is appealing France for a safe port. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
            
              Migrants prepare to disembark from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after having been allowed by Italian authorities, in Catania's port, Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. While the Geo Barents was allowed to disembark all its migrants, the German-flagged Humanity1 is still at harbor in Catania with 35 aboard still waiting for permission, and another rescue ship, the Ocean Viking is appealing France for a safe port. (AP Photo/Massimo Di Nonno)
            
              Migrants disembark from the Norway-flagged Geo Barents rescue ship after having been allowed by Italian authorities, in Catania's port, Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. While the Geo Barents was allowed to disembark all its migrants, the German-flagged Humanity1 is still at harbor in Catania with 35 aboard still waiting for permission, and another rescue ship, the Ocean Viking is appealing France for a safe port. (AP Photo/Massimo Di Nonno)
            
              One of the three men who had jumped into the sea on Monday from the humanitarian ship Geo Barents, which is docked at the Catania's harbor, in Sicily, Italy, receives medical attention, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. In desperation, two Syrian men jumped into the sea, and a third man went in after trying to save them. They were all pulled to safety and spent the night on the dock. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
            
              One of the three men who had jumped into the sea on Monday from the humanitarian ship Geo Barents, which is docked at the Catania's harbor, in Sicily, Italy, lies out of strength on the dock , Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. In desperation, two Syrian men jumped into the sea, and a third man went in after trying to save them. They were all pulled to safety and spent the night on the dock. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
            
              One of the three men who had jumped into the sea on Monday from the humanitarian ship Geo Barents, which is docked at the Catania's harbor, in Sicily, Italy, receives medical attention, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. In desperation, two Syrian men jumped into the sea, and a third man went in after trying to save them. They were all pulled to safety and spent the night on the dock. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

ROME (AP) — A European humanitarian group said Wednesday its migrant rescue ship was heading to the French island of Corsica in hopes France will offer its 234 passengers a safe port, as a diplomatic standoff intensified after Italy relented and allowed migrants from three other rescue ships to disembark on Italian soil.

The European Commission added to the pressure to find a safe port for the Ocean Viking, issuing a statement late Wednesday demanding that the passengers — some of whom have been at sea for nearly three weeks — be allowed to immediately disembark “at the nearest place of safety.”

The statement was unusual since the Commission hasd remained quiet on the drama all week, refusing to get involved except to restate that it’s up to member countries to handle search and rescue operations and disembarkation matters, not Brussels.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni had jumped the gun and announced Tuesday that France had agreed to take the Ocean Viking in, even though the government had made no such pledge publicly. As of late Wednesday, France still had not offered a port, but Francesco Creazzo of the SOS Mediterranee group said the Norwegian-flagged ship was hoping it would eventually do so.

Officials in both Corsica and the French port city of Marseille said they would gladly take them in.

Meloni’s premature announcement of a French agreement prompted the French government spokesman to publicly criticize the Italian maneuvering on public radio Wednesday.

Spokesman Olivier Veran told France Info radio that the Ocean Viking “is intended to be welcomed in Italy” since it was in Italian territorial waters and said Italy’s refusal to allow passengers to disembark was “unacceptable.”

Since Italy is the top beneficiary of the European Union financial solidarity system, he demanded that “Italy plays its role and respects its European commitments.”

By late Tuesday, the remaining passengers on three other humanitarian-operated ships that Italy had initially refused to take in had disembarked at Italian ports. The last was the Humanity 1, operated by the SOS Humanity group, which disembarked its 35 passengers in the Sicilian port of Catania.

There was no immediate explanation for Italy’s U-turn, but legal experts and the humanitarian groups noted that under maritime law, all people found at sea in distress are entitled to access the closest safe port where they can then apply for asylum.

Meloni’s hard-right government had initially only allowed migrants deemed “vulnerable” to disembark, and intended to send the rest of the passengers back out to sea. But the two ships that docked at Catania for the vulnerability selection process — the Humanity 1 and the Geo Berents — refused to leave port.

Italian news reports on Wednesday quoted Meloni as telling her Brothers of Italy lawmakers that she found it “surreal” that doctors who visited the migrants on the docked ships Tuesday had declared them all fragile and at risk of psychological distress — presumably the medical determination that allowed for them all to disembark. Meloni insisted the passengers were migrants, not shipwreck survivors.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi had adopted measures saying the flag country of each charity-operated ship was responsible for providing a safe port, not Italy. Charity groups, however, said the measure patently violated maritime law and some had launched legal action against the government.

“We are relieved that the people can go ashore and that all those rescued from distress at sea have finally been assigned a place of safety, as required by maritime law,” said SOS Humanity’s Till Rummenhohl, who is in charge of ship operations for the Humanity 1. “However, we are appalled by the blatant disregard of the law and of human rights by Italian authorities.”

Meloni was defiant about Italy’s hard line. In the statement prematurely announcing a French decision to open its port to the Ocean Viking, she said it was important to “continue this line of European collaboration with the countries most exposed to find a shared solution.”

“The immigration emergency is a European issue and must be dealt with as such, with full respect of human rights and the principle of legality,” she said.

In Marseille, Mayor Benoit Payan urged the government in Paris to open a port to the Ocean Viking and said his city would be honored to take the migrants in.

“The castaways, children, women and men aboard the Ocean Viking, must be rescued,” he tweeted.

“France must open a port urgently and assume its responsibilities,” Payan said. “Marseille, faithful to its history, is ready.”

Corsica, too, said it was prepared to do its part.

“It’s a simple and a basic duty of humanity,” tweeted Gilles Simeoni, president of the executive council on the French Mediterranean island.

___

Surk reported from Nice, France; Lorne Cook reported from Brussels.

___

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Image: A cargo ship is stuck under the part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after ...

Associated Press

Authorities identify 2 bodies recovered at site of Baltimore bridge collapse

A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below.

1 day ago

Photo: Mountaineer Jim Whittaker has died at 95....

Gene Johnson, The Associated Press

Lou Whittaker, among the most famous American mountaineers, has died at age 95

Lou Whittaker, a legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, has died at age 95.

1 day ago

File photo: Former Sen. Joe Lieberman speaks in Washington on Jan. 18, 2024....

Associated Press

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP pick in 2000, dead at 82

Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in 2000, has died.

1 day ago

islamic state attack...

Vanessa Gera, The Associated Press

What we know after the Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow massacre

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people.

5 days ago

Moscow shooting...

The Associated Press

Russia: 60 dead, 145 injured in concert hall raid; Islamic State group claims responsibility

Assailants burst into a concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing over 60 people, injuring more than 100.

6 days ago

Photo: Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge visits 282 (East Ham) Squadron, RAF Air Cadets, Cornwel...

Associated Press

Kate Middleton announces she has cancer, is undergoing chemotherapy

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, says she is undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer. She has been out of view since Christmas.

6 days ago

Italy backs down on 3 migrant ships, 4th heads to Corsica