Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Thursday said the decision by a ship run by the Sea-Watch NGO to head towards Italy with 47 rescued asylum seekers on board was an "umpteenth provocation". He added that the government's stance of refusing access to NGO-run migrant rescue ships was not changing. Sea-Watch says that it desperately needs a port of safety after rescuing the asylum seekers on Saturday.
It said via Twitter that it was heading towards Italy to seek shelter because of a violent storm with seven-metre high waves. Fellow Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio said the Sea-Watch ship should go to France.
"The Sea-Watch NGO ship, which is sailing towards Sicily, will have medical and sanitary support from the Italian government if necessary," 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Di Maio said via Facebook.
"After that, I invite it to point the bow towards Marseilles and get the people to disembark on French soil instead of pointlessly waiting in Italian waters for days".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
