With 800 migrants on board: “Sea-Eye 4” is allowed to dock

After a journey of several days through the Mediterranean Sea, the “Sea-Eye 4” is allowed to dock in Sicily. The rescue ship took in 800 migrants. The “Ocean Viking” is still waiting for a port to be assigned.

The rescue ship “Sea-Eye 4” of the German aid organizations Sea-Eye and Mission Lifeline is allowed to dock with more than 800 people on board in Trapani, Sicily. The Italian authorities decided after the ship had been waiting for the allocation of a safe harbor since Thursday.

According to Sea-Eye, well over 200 minors and five pregnant women are among those rescued from the Mediterranean. The arrival in Trapani on the western tip of Sicily is expected on Sunday.

“We are relieved and overjoyed that the difficult hours for our crew and the rescued people will end on Sunday and that the people will finally be safe in Italy,” said Gorden Isler, the chairman of Sea-Eye, and said at the same time ” appalled “about” Malta’s failure to provide assistance “. The island state did not respond to emergency calls during the week.

After no reaction from Malta, the island of Lampedusa was headed for. The Regensburg Association’s ship was not allowed to dock there. Because the chances in Sicily were estimated to be greater and the weather was bad, the ship continued on towards Sicily. There it crossed in front of the port city of Agrigento until the authorities gave the okay for Trapani.

Ship massively overloaded

According to the organization, the “Sea-Eye 4” saved more than 800 migrants in several actions from Tuesday to Wednesday night. Around half of it was taken from an overcrowded wooden boat into which water was already entering. The “Sea Eye 4” is designed for around 200 people. Due to the narrowness and the darkness below deck, several people collapsed, said Sea-Eye chairman Isler.

The ship “Ocean Viking” operated by the organization SOS Méditerranée with 313 rescued persons is still waiting to be assigned a port. The Maltese authorities canceled the crew on Friday, as SOS Méditerranée spokeswoman Barbara Hohl announced. “Unfortunately, we are in the usual situation: after rescues we have to wait far too long until we are finally assigned a port.”