An Italian court has ordered six members of the NGO Mediterranea to stand trial regarding a 2020 rescue operation involving 27 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean Sea. This marks the first time that a criminal case against a sea rescue crew has progressed to trial in Italy, according to the group's legal representatives.
In August 2020, the Danish tanker Maersk Etienne rescued these individuals from a wooden boat approximately 70 nautical miles north of Libya, acting on directives from Maltese rescue authorities. The migrants were attempting to reach Europe but found themselves in peril as their vessel started to sink. Despite the rescue, neither Malta, Italy, nor Libya permitted the migrants to disembark, leading the rescued individuals to remain aboard the tanker for 38 days without adequate care or facilities. Maersk Tankers, the operator of Maersk Etienne, reported that the ship was not equipped to accommodate such a large number of people and urgently needed assistance.
To address the situation, Mediterranea dispatched the Mare Jonio, a tugboat built in 1972, to provide support. This vessel had a doctor on board to offer essential medical care. The migrants were eventually transferred from the tanker to Mare Jonio and then taken to Pozzallo, a port located on the island of Sicily.
Later, Italian prosecutors in Ragusa charged six members of the NGO, including five men and one woman, with aiding illegal immigration. Those implicated in the case include the captain of Mare Jonio, a crew doctor, and Luca Casarini, one of the group’s founders and a well-known leftist activist. They all maintain that they were merely helping those in distress and did not commit any wrongdoing.
One major allegation from prosecutors involves a payment of around €125,000 (about $140,000) made by Maersk Tankers to Idra Social Shipping, the company owning Mare Jonio, months after the rescue. Authorities suggest that this was a financial transaction related to the migrants' transfer. However, Mediterranea insists that the payment was a straightforward donation intended to cover operational expenses.
Lawyer Serena Romano, representing the NGO, emphasized that no previous cases against rescue crews in Italy have reached trial, stating that similar investigations were either closed during the inquiry or dropped before trial. The court in Ragusa has scheduled the first hearing for October 21. Casarini argued that the trial could provide an opportunity to scrutinize the decisions made by authorities during the 38-day standoff, insisting that those who left 27 individuals stranded at sea without assistance should also be questioned.
Since taking office in 2022, Italy’s current government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has adopted a stringent approach to sea migration. Her administration implemented stricter regulations regarding where and how NGO rescue ships can dock. NGOs have reported being forced to navigate to remote ports and face frequent inspections, which they believe are attempts to hinder their operations. Although this case occurred before Meloni's tenure, it illustrates the mounting pressure on rescue teams.
Some members of her government have argued that the courts are obstructing their efforts to manage migration, citing instances where judges blocked plans to relocate migrants to places like Albania. Additionally, reports have surfaced this year indicating that several Mediterranea members, including Casarini, were targeted with spyware. While the government has denied any involvement, it has called for a formal investigation into these surveillance claims.
Despite legal and political obstacles, Mediterranea continues its search and rescue missions. The Mare Jonio was detained following the 2020 rescue and wasn't allowed to return to sea until June 2021. Since then, the NGO states it has conducted numerous operations. Mediterranea has teamed up with the German NGO SeaEye to operate a larger ship, the SeaEye 4, which has been renamed Mediterranea. This new vessel, boasting a gross tonnage of 931, is significantly larger than Mare Jonio and will enhance the group's capacity to perform more sea rescues.
Reference: Reuters
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