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Italy stops adult male migrants from disembarking Standoff as Italy stops male migrants from disembarking rescue ship
(about 5 hours later)
Humanity 1 was allowed to dock in the port of Catania Some 35 men remain on the ship after they were not allowed to disembark
Italy's new far-right government has prevented 35 men from leaving a migrant ship which has been requesting access to an Italian port for two weeks. A migrant rescue ship is refusing to leave an Italian port after authorities prevented 35 men from disembarking.
Minors and people with medical issues were allowed to disembark in Sicily. Children and people with medical issues were allowed to leave the Humanity 1 in Sicily after it spent two weeks requesting port access.
The Humanity 1 was one of four vessels carrying migrants waiting for permission to dock in Italy. Two other rescue boats remain at sea.
The new Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has promised to crack down on migrants travelling across the Mediterranean from North Africa.The new Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has promised to crack down on migrants travelling across the Mediterranean from North Africa.
Italy is one of the main entry points into Europe and since the start of the year 85,000 migrants have arrived on boats, according to the UN.Italy is one of the main entry points into Europe and since the start of the year 85,000 migrants have arrived on boats, according to the UN.
Many of the migrants set sail in small boats and are rescued by charity vessels during their journey.Many of the migrants set sail in small boats and are rescued by charity vessels during their journey.
In total 144 people were allowed to disembark the Humanity 1, which sails under a German flag, on Sunday morning.In total 144 people were allowed to disembark the Humanity 1, which sails under a German flag, on Sunday morning.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said those who did not "qualify" as vulnerable would have to leave Italian waters and should be taken care of by the "flag state". Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said those who did not qualify as vulnerable would have to leave Italian waters and should be taken care of by the "flag state".
The charity which owns the ship said the mood among the migrants is extremely depressed: "One person just suffered a breakdown," Petra Krischok of SOS Humanity told the AFP news agency. However, the ship's captain is refusing to leave the port in Catania "until all survivors rescued from distress at sea have been disembarked", said SOS Humanity, the German charity that operates the ship.
Preventing people who need help from disembarking goes against international law, the charity says. In a series of tweets, the charity added that "the law of the sea obliges him [the captain] to bring all those rescued from distress to a safe place.
Three other ships carrying around 900 people have also requested access to an Italian port but so far have not been allowed to dock. "Survivors have the right to an individual protection check, which can only be done on land. Rejecting the 35 people seeking protection aboard Humanity 1 from territorial waters is a form of collective refusal and is therefore illegal."
Humanitarian groups and two Italian politicians have travelled to Sicily to protest against the process.
"Free all the people, free them,″ Italian lawmaker Aboubakar Soumahoro said, calling the government's new policy "inhuman".
Humanity 1 was allowed to dock in the port of Catania
Along with Humanity 1, another charity ship, the Geo Barents, which has 572 rescued people on board, was also allowed into the port of Catania on Sunday for the same vetting.
Two other boats run by non-governmental organisations remain at sea.
All four boats have reported people sleeping on floors and decks, the spread of fever-inducing infections and scabies, and food and medical supplies running low. Some migrants have been on the ships for more than two weeks.
Italy's new prime minister put the issue of migration at the centre of her government in her maiden speech to MPs.Italy's new prime minister put the issue of migration at the centre of her government in her maiden speech to MPs.
"We must stop illegal departures and human trafficking," Ms Meloni said, but stressed that she does not intend "to question the right of asylum for those fleeing wars and persecutions"."We must stop illegal departures and human trafficking," Ms Meloni said, but stressed that she does not intend "to question the right of asylum for those fleeing wars and persecutions".
In a recent interview she also said responsibility for the migrants on board lies with the country where the ship is registered, otherwise it becomes a "pirate ship".In a recent interview she also said responsibility for the migrants on board lies with the country where the ship is registered, otherwise it becomes a "pirate ship".
Ms Meloni leads the Brothers of Italy party, which has its roots in Italian post-war fascism, and has come to power at the head of a coalition which includes the far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi's right-of-centre Forza Italia.