The Italian foreign ministry has said
in a statement that it is monitoring the situation on the
Humanity 1, an NGO-run search-and-rescue ship flying the German
flag, and is ready to provide emergency assistance if necessary.
The Humanity 1 is one of three NGO ships currently in the
southern Mediterranean with a combined total of around 1,000
rescued people on board.
It is carrying 179 asylum seekers, reportedly including 104
unaccompanied minors. The youngest child on the ship is said to
be only seven months old.
On Wednesday the German government called on Rome to help the
people on the Humanity 1 fast.
Last week Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told Humanity 1
and another NGO-run vessel, the Ocean Viking, which has 234
people on board and is flying the Norwegian flag, to stay out of
Italian waters, saying they had broken Italian and EU rules.
Another ship, the Norwegian-flag Geo Barents operated by Doctors
Without Borders, currently has 572 people on board.
The Italian foreign ministry said that it has written to the
German embassy to have information about the situation aboard
the Humanity 1 in view of "eventual decisions".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
