The Ocean Viking ship of the NGO Sos Méditerranée with 234 migrants on board will disembark in France, in Toulon. Thus ends the story that has caused various diplomatic tensions between Italy and some representatives of the Elysée: the boat has waited for weeks in front of the coasts of Sicily waiting for the communication of a safe port and in front of the proclamation of Palazzo Chigi it headed for the French coasts, finding a welcome “in a completely exceptional way”, in the words of the Transalpine Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, who judged that of Italy an “incomprehensible choice”.
One third of the migrants on board will be relocated to France, while the fate of the others is still unknown. Four people – three asylum seekers and a companion – called for an “urgent medical evacuation”. A spokeswoman for the NGO told AFP that they are “in serious health conditions and in need of hospital treatment”. “One of the patients is unstable – explained by Ocean Viking – and has not responded to the care provided on board since 27 October. The other two suffered injuries in Libya which, due to the long delay in treatment, could have negative long-term consequences ”. The boat is now located not far from the coasts of Corsica, it is possible that they will be dropped off on the island.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi commented on the affair leaving the Court of Appeal of Rome this morning: “What happened unfortunately testifies that the crossings will be stopped as soon as possible. Very often it is misunderstood that all the action, deployed by many sides, to try to stop these trafficking is oriented, no one knows what, in reality it is because this situation is not sustainable ”. The French Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, replied at a distance: “There are rules in Europe that we must also know how to respect. The rule in Europe is solidarity and the solidarity rule says that it is the state with the nearest port that must welcome the ship, in this case it is Italy ”.
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