October 29 update: After 11 days stranded at sea, the Ocean Viking is heading to Pozzallo, Italy, to disembark rescued people, following an agreement among France, Germany, and Italy to relocate them.
AMSTERDAM/NEW YORK, October 28, 2019—The organizations SOS MEDITERRANEE and Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) called today on European states to facilitate the urgent assignment of a port to disembark people rescued in the central Mediterranean 10 days ago and establish a predictable and coordinated mechanism for such disembarkations, avoiding unnecessary delays.
The Ocean Viking, a rescue ship chartered by SOS MEDITERRANEE in partnership with MSF, is still awaiting a place of safety to disembark 104 people rescued in international waters off Libya on October 18.
"In the past four months, several European leaders met on three occasions [in Paris, Malta and Luxembourg], showing a will to establish a temporary disembarkation and distribution mechanism for people rescued in the central Mediterranean," said Louise Guillaumat, deputy director of SOS MEDITERRANEE's operations. "Yet today, 104 survivors are once again left in limbo on the deck of a rescue ship with no solution for their disembarkation in sight, adding to their suffering after being rescued from distress at sea. Europe can and should show more solidarity towards its coastal States."
Among those rescued by the Ocean Viking on October 18 are two pregnant women and 41 children under the age of 18, including a two-month-old. The vast majority of minors report to be travelling unaccompanied, without a parent or guardian. Many report to have been trapped in Libya for several years, with some saying they fled because of fighting that began in April.
"Every patient seen in the MSF clinic onboard has reported to have suffered or been witness to violence or sexual violence at some point in their journey," said Michael Fark, MSF head of mission. "Women have told our medical team they fled their home countries because of forced marriage, female genital mutilation or sexual violence. It is unacceptable that for 10 days now these vulnerable people have not only had to endure being stranded in the open sea, but also the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen to them. This prolonged and unnecessary time at sea must come to an end. We urge European leaders to live up to their principles and allow the survivors to finally disembark to safety."
