Rescue ship Louise Michel detained on Lampedusa

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 26 - The humanitarian rescue ship Louise Michel, funded by the British artist Banksy, was detained in the port of Lampedusa on Sunday in relation to alleged breaches of new rules for ships operated by non-governmental organizations performing search and rescue in the central Mediterranean.
    "We know of dozens of boats in distress right in front of the island at this very moment, yet we are being prevented from assisting. This is unacceptable!" the crew said in a tweet.
    The Louise Michel had been instructed to head to Trapani after performing a first rescue operation in Libyan waters on Saturday, according to an Italian Coast Guard press release issued Sunday afternoon.
    However, rather than proceeding directly to the assigned port the ship reportedly headed towards three more boats in distress in Maltese waters, which where already being rescued by the Coast Guard.
    The Louise Michel later disembarked a total of180 rescued people in Lampedusa.
    "With the situation at sea, holding a rescue ship in port while women, men and children risk dying is absurd: this is not about slogans, but about human lives that can and should be saved," Luca Casarini, chief of mission of Mediterranea Saving Human, another SAR NGO, told ANSA. (ANSA).