Maritime
Group Seeks EU’s Support To Disembark 572 Migrants
A renowned international charity group, SOS Mediterranean Organisation, has called on the European Union to assist in disembarking hundreds of migrants that were rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea few days ago.
The group said about 572 people, including 183 minors onboard the Ocean Viking vessel had been stranded on the sea for months.
The SOS Mediterranean said maritime authorities had not helped in the operation and urged the European Union to intervene.
The organisation, in a statement said, the stranded migrants were picked up in six operations in Maltese and Libyan search and rescue areas.
“We are calling upon the EU to at least coordinate the disembarkation of the 572 survivors currently aboard our ship,” it said in a statement.
The migrant boat departed from North Africa and headed towards Europe before it was picked up after a decline.
The statement added that scores of migrants died in recent days following ship wrecks as they tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy, one of the main routes into Europe.