Mediterranean rescue NGO condemns Italy’s “cynical” migrant policies

SOS Méditerranée, a French humanitarian group, has accused Italy of "cynical" policies after it rescued 101 migrants from a sinking boat off Libya, AFP reports. The migrants, including 29 women and seven children from countries such as Somalia, Syria, Eritrea, and Egypt, were rescued in international waters and are now aboard the Ocean Viking ambulance ship.

Italian authorities instructed the vessel to disembark the migrants at Ravenna, a port four days away, despite rough seas and bad weather. SOS Méditerranée criticized the decision, arguing it violates maritime law, which requires survivors to be disembarked "within a reasonable time."

The group claims Italy’s practice of designating remote ports delays rescues and endangers lives.

Over 2,300 migrant deaths were recorded in the Mediterranean in 2024, with 31 fatalities already reported this year. The crisis underscores ongoing tensions over European nations' responses to migration across the Mediterranean.