The Italian port authority on Friday
made a formal request for Malta to allow the NGO-run
migrant-rescue ship Lifeline to dock at a port on the
Mediterranean island, government sources said.
The Dutch-flagged ship, run by German NGO Mission Lifeline,
may be set to be at the centre of an international wrangle like
that which involved another NGO-run migrant-rescue vessel, the
Aquarius, which ended up docking in Valencia last week after
Italy and Malta refused it access to ports.
Italian Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli on Thursday
accused the Lifeline of "operating in Libyan waters outside all
rules, outside international law" after it took on 224 asylum
seekers.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said the Lifeline should go
to the Netherlands.
On Thursday the Netherlands denied reports that the Lifeline
and another NGO-run migrant-rescue ship, the Seefuchs, are
sailing under Dutch flags.
However, on Friday Mission Lifeline said in a tweet that its
ship has been registered in the Netherlands since September
2017, attaching a photograph of a registration document.
It also said Thursday's rescue operation took place in
international waters.
Salvini said for "the safety of the crew and passengers"
Italy had asked Malta to open its ports.
"It is clear that the ship will then have to be impounded and
the crew members arrested. No more trafficking by sea," he
added.
Salvini, who is also deputy premier and League leader, has
spearheaded the tough stance on migrants and NGOs operating
humanitarian missions in the Mediterranean of the new
League/5-Star Movement (M5S) government.
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