Mediterranean: more than 400 migrants stranded off Malta

Rescue operation of the humanitarian ship "Ocean Viking" chartered by SOS Mediterranean and Doctors without Borders, in the Mediterranean, on August 10, 2019. 80 migrants were rescued. Anne CHAON / AFP

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Due to the coronavirus epidemic, Malta refuses to welcome them and calls for European solidarity. For its part, the sea rescue NGO SOS Mediterranean denounces the wait-and-see attitude of EU member states and requests that these migrants be landed in a safe place as a matter of urgency.

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Migrants continue to flock, especially from Libya where fighting is still raging . Currently, 425 migrants, rescued in recent weeks in the Mediterranean, are stranded at sea, in international waters, off Malta. They have been detained for some for over a month, on four boats normally dedicated to tourist cruises and chartered by the Maltese government.

Impossible for them to be landed. Indeed, Malta and Italy closed their ports in early April due to the coronavirus epidemic. And Malta continues to complain about being forced to assume, alone, the arrival of migrants from Libya . In early 2020, nearly 1,400 migrants arrived on the island, an increase of 438% compared to last year over the same period, according to the Maltese government.

A call for solidarity

The European Commission on Wednesday called on the Member States to "  solidarity  " and "  collective responsibility  " and stressed the urgency of the situation. In a press release, SOS Mediterranean denounces the attitude of European countries. "  Instead of being landed in a safe place as required by international law, these survivors are used for the purpose of political negotiations between the member states of the European Union,  " accuses the association. It also warns of "  a spiral of chaos and death that is developing in the central Mediterranean  ".

In fact, since the beginning of May, civilian rescue operations at sea have stopped while NGOs believe that the number of migrants leaving from Libya is increasing. Many makeshift boats have recently been reported in distress.

In addition, the French Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner, told AFP on Wednesday that France was committed to welcoming "  several dozen people, minimum thirty  " who are on these boats "  from the reopening of European internal borders  ”planned at this stage in mid-June.

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  • Immigration
  • International Migration
  • Malta
  • European Union
  • Libya

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