Italian authorities have allowed the rescue vessel Ocean Viking to dock on their shores. The ship searched for a safe harbor for several days before being allowed to enter the port of Augusta.
More than 570 migrants rescued in six missions are on board. Their boats suffered disaster in Maltese and Libyan waters.
“The situation is beyond imagination. Peak stress and exhaustion aboard the Ocean Viking”, – commented the ship’s search and rescue coordinator.
About a third of the migrants rescued by Ocean Viking are minors. Many of the ship’s passengers suffer from seasickness.
Residents of Libya and Tunisia travel by rubber boats across the Mediterranean to reach Europe. Ships of private organizations go on rescue missions – many migrants never make it to the coveted shores. The UN reported that more than 740 people have drowned this year alone.