Even today, landings and sightings of migrants on board boats with precarious conditions in the Mediterranean Sea continue. The first information this morning was given by the Alarm Phone platform, which spoke of a semi-sunk dinghy with about sixty people on board, now adrift on the central Mediterranean route: “We fear the worst unless the authorities informed eleven hours ago, do not act immediately ”, was the comment of the activists who monitor that stretch of sea.
SOS 60 lives at imminent risk in #CentralMed! We are in contact with 60 people on board an inflatable boat. The boat is deflating and water is entering. We fear the worst if the authorities, informed 11 hours ago, do not act immediately. #DontLetThemDrown! pic.twitter.com/PmyOOTfVB5
– Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) October 24, 2021
In the afternoon the scenario became even more worrying: «We lost contact with the 60 people on the inflatable boat that was deflating! The merchant Hafnia Malacca, who approached the boat to assist her, reports a possible rejection from the Sar of Malta ».
A sailboat carrying 77 migrants was intercepted by naval vessels of the Guardia di Finanza off the coast of San Gregorio, in Capo di Leuca in Puglia. The boat was escorted to the port of Leuca where landing operations have been underway for a few minutes, made difficult by the rain. The initial count was of 100 newcomers, which was later corrected. There are 12 Syrians, including a woman, and 65 Egyptians, including 35 minors. The boat was impounded. The migrants are all in good condition, they reported being on the road for seven days. On site there are Usmaf doctors and volunteers from Caritas and the Red Cross. As soon as the anti-Covid protocol operations are completed, they will be taken to reception centers.
New sightings were reported in the late morning again by the Alarm Phone: this time children would also be involved, “many” according to the Tweet that raised the alarm. The boat, whose dimensions are not known at the moment, left Libya with 68 people on board and is sailing in very precarious weather conditions: “They have engine problems and face strong winds and rough seas … an intervention is needed urgent”.
🆘 in the SAR of #Malta!
We are in contact with 68 people, including many children, in danger and fleeing #Libya. Authorities alerted 15h ago! They have engine problems and there are strong winds and rough seas. We ask the European authorities to respect their duty to rescue! pic.twitter.com/Z01h1aZycX– Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) October 24, 2021
Waves and strong winds keep migrants stranded in the Sar area of Malta. “They see an airplane above them, which we identify as a Frontex device,” said the Alarm Phone.
The rescue of MSF
Today’s news is added to that of a rescue, the fourth in a few days by the “Geo Barents” of Doctors Without Borders. Last night the operators rescued 95 people: “They were about to be intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard – explains the NGO – and forced to return to violence, abuse and exploitation in Libya”. On board the ship flying the Norwegian flag there are now 296 migrants, while another 105 have been aboard the “Aita Mari” for five days, between Malta and Sicily. At least 400 people are therefore asking to find a safe harbor in which to disembark, also due to the worsening weather conditions.
Salvini’s tweet
“Warn Lamorgese and Brussels that anyone is landing in Italy now,” writes Lega leader Matteo Salvini on his social profiles, commenting on the news of the six landings in Calabria in a few hours. The reference is also to the 330 destined for Crotone. Here the operations of the first 160 arrived with the naval unit of the Coast Guard “Dattilo” ended yesterday evening; the others were transported with a Romanian Navy patrol boat stationed at the port of Crotone, engaged in Frontex activities. These are Egyptians, Syrians and Libyans. The landings were taken to the reception facility of Isola Capo Rizzuto. And also yesterday at the port of Reggio Calabria a group of 56 migrants, of Afghan, Pakistani and Egyptian nationality, arrived at the port of Capo Spartivento.
The newly elected governor of the Calabria Region, Roberto Occhiuto, also intervened in the political arena on the landings affair: «My Region is even less organized than the others to deal with the phenomenon of immigration. The mayor of Roccella rightly complained that a municipal administration cannot cope with daily landings ».
During his speech to SkyTg24, he then added that «as soon as I take office I will speak with the Minister of the Interior, Luciana Lamorgese, and I will ask the government, in the meantime, to give resources to Calabria to tackle this problem. And then, Italy must have the ability to make itself heard a little more on this issue in Europe, because the problem of migrants does not only concern border countries or border regions, like mine, but the Union. European as a whole “.
The Angelus of Pope Francis
The chasing of news this morning was also heard by Pope Francis who, at the end of the traditional Sunday Angelus, spoke of the dramatic situation in the Libyan concentration camps, once again renewing the invitation to make aid to those fleeing a priority: «It is necessary to put an end to the return of migrants to unsafe countries and to give priority to rescue at sea with rescue and landing devices, to guarantee dignified living conditions. Let us all feel responsible for our brothers and sisters who have been victims of a very serious situation for too many years. We pray for them in silence ».
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