Sea Watch demands closer port, says distant port puts extra strain on crew

Sea Watch International has decried the distance of the port assigned to its rescue ship,Sea-Watch 5, by the Italian authorities.

It said the distance puts extra strain on the crew and demanded for a closer port.

The organisation said: “After rescuing 289 people, Sea-Watch 5 is headed to Civitavecchia, almost 1000 km away. The assigned, unnecessarily distant port puts extra strain on guests and crew. It deliberately keeps us from rescuing. One boy already had to be medically evacuated. We urge for a closer port.”

Sea Watch International had earlier announced that the crew of the Sea-Watch 5 rescued 289 people from distress at sea this morning. “They were recovered from overcrowded wooden boats in a total of four operations. Among those rescued are 38 children and minors, some of them unaccompanied.”

Before the rescue exercise, it spoke about empty boats drifting in the Mediterranean. “What happened to people on board? While 🇮🇹 currently sends divers to recover the dead from the luxury yacht, the people on the empty boats have been abandoned to their fate by the EU & Italy—double standards in the Med.”