Rome, September 19 (EFE).- The Geo Barentsi ship of the non-governmental organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) rescued 471 migrants today in the port of Brindisi, in southern Italy, during several rescue operations. Among them were 173 unaccompanied minors and 7 pregnant women.
“The 471 survivors, including 173 unaccompanied minors and 7 pregnant women, have arrived in Brindisi, a safe haven designated by Italian authorities following last Saturday’s rescue operation. “We wish them the best for their future!” MSF said in a statement.
The humanitarian ship completed up to eleven rescue operations last week, coordinated with Italian authorities.
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni traveled to see the migration pressure. which supports the enclave.
“I came to Lampedusa to say that illegal immigration is a European challenge and requires a European response,” von der Leyen said.
The announced program consists of ten commitments, including a solidarity mechanism for other European countries to transfer migrants arriving in Lampedusa from Italy, updating European legislation against human trafficking and defining new legal and safe humanitarian corridors.
He also pledged to increase aerial surveillance over the Mediterranean, through European agencies such as Frontex, and coordinate protocols with countries of origin to safely take back migrants who do not meet European asylum conditions.
However, the statement did not convince MSF, which called on the EU to “end the policy of externalization and containment at the borders, which for years has made the EU and its member states, including Italy, complicit in the abuse and death of migrants”.
MSF also criticized an agreement signed between the European Union and Tunisia, which is facilitated by Italy, which provides economic resources to the African country in exchange for increased surveillance along its coasts to prevent migrants from leaving.
“The agreement with Tunisia repeats the dangerous logic already observed in Libya, encouraging more violent practices against migrants at sea and on land,” he added on his social networks.
Source: El Diario
