Madrid: A Spanish NGO said on Saturday it had rescued 59 migrants as they tried to cross the Mediterranean from Libya, drawing condemnation from Italy’s far-right interior minister who said they were not welcome in his country.
The news comes a day after three babies were found dead and 100 more went missing in a shipwreck apparently caused by an explosion on board a boat that had set off from Libya.
It also follows a controversial deal reached by EU member states to stem the influx of migrants.
The accord struck on Friday includes the setting up of secure centres for migrants in the bloc, “disembarkation platforms” outside the bloc and sharing out refugees among member states.
Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms said on Twitter the 59 migrants were now on board their ship “heading for a secure port”.
“Despite the hurdles, we continue to protect the right to life of invisible people. Their stories on what they experienced (in) Libya are terrifying.”
Italy’s hardline Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Facebook that the NGO’s boat had reached the migrants’ vessel before Libyan coastguards inside Libya’s rescue operation zone.
“The nearest port is Malta, the organisation and flag are Spanish: they can forget about coming to an Italian port,” he added.
Malta’s interior minister retorted on Twitter that the migrants had been rescued between Libya and Italy’s Lampedusa.
“Stop spreading incorrect information by pointing the finger at Malta without any reason,” Michael Farrugia said.
Italy’s Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said in a statement he had received a formal request from the interior ministry, headed by Salvini, to deny Proactiva Open Arms entry on the grounds that it was a danger to public order.
In less than a month since taking office, Salvini has spearheaded a new government policy to shut ports to charity ships that pick up migrants from overcrowded smugglers’ boats.
The Aquarius, carrying 630 migrants, and Lifeline, carrying some 230 people, ended up in Spain and Malta when Italy closed its ports to them earlier this month.
The Open Arms vessel has no migrants on board.
An Open Arms spokesman had no immediate comment.
European Union leaders on Friday came to a hard-fought agreement over migration that Salvini and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said was positive for Italy. — Agencies
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