Migrants stranded on NGO ships are being driven to despair, Sea Watch says

There has been no change on a political level yet for the migrants stranded on the Sea-Watch 3 but on a humanitarian level the situation has become "dire", a spokesperson for Sea Watch International said.

"Try to imagine what it feels like for the migrants on board who suffered through terrible conditions and finally thought they would be safe, only to have Europe turn its back on them,” the spokesperson told MaltaToday.

The group said that they were concerned about the psychological well-being of the migrants on board, which they described as “weak”. Some migrants had gone as far as refusing to eat, while others attempted to jump off the ship in "despair".

We agree that Malta is not responsible for taking in the migrants, but redistribution should happen on land and not at sea. Treating human beings in such a way is unacceptable... Sea Watch spokesperson

The Sea-Watch 3 is currently carrying 32 migrants who were rescued from a dinghy in international waters on 22 December. An additional 17 migrants were saved by the Sea Eye's vessel Professor Albrecht Penck, amongst them three young children, three unaccompanied adolescents and four women from Nigeria, Libya and Ivory Coast.

The two vessels have been at the centre of controversy since they have both been stranded without permission to dock anywhere for three weeks.

The group said that while it agrees that Malta is not responsible for taking in the migrants, the redistribution process must happen on land, and not out at sea in poor conditions.

"We agree that Malta is not responsible for taking in the migrants, but redistribution should happen on land and not at sea. Treating human beings in such a way is unacceptable... the ship does not have the facilities to keep persons on it for this long. Gambling with the lives of innocent people is unacceptable," the spokesperson said.

The group appealed for a solution to the current impasse but also one that would work in the long run. It said that it is not the only organisation rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea – the solution needs to be for “everyone.”

"We cannot have a situation where every time there is a rescue a two-week standoff occurs. We understand that Malta is already carrying a high burden of migrants when compared to others, we believe that it is up to other European countries such as Germany to take in the migrants.”

It stressed that Germany should follow Spain’s lead when in August it agreed to take in the 11 migrants that were rescued off the coast of Libya by a Spanish fishing boat.

“Germany must follow Spain's lead, and to an extent, it has by agreeing to take in a portion of migrants, but it is a shame considering what economic wealth the country enjoys that they are not willing to take in all of them," the spokesperson said.

Currently, both the Netherlands and Germany have pledged to take in some of the migrants when another European country agrees to open its port and allow the vessels to dock.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has insisted the NGO ships will not disembark in his country

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has been particularly adamant that his country would not be allowing the migrants to disembark in his country.

On Sunday, Joseph Muscat told One Radio during an interview that it was his responsibility to avoid setting a precedent by accepting to take in the 49 migrants who are currently stranded off Malta’s coast on two NGO ships. Malta wants a redistribution agreement in place before it allows the migrants to disembark.

Children's Commissioner Pauline Miceli and Pope Francis have both called for the migrants to be brought ashore.