ROME - The search and rescue organisations SOS Humanity, Mission Lifeline and Sea-Eye are taking legal action at the Civil Court in Rome against the Italian authorities' systematic policy of assigning distant ports. 

 On Thursday, the Italian authorities assigned Ravenna in northern Italy to the Humanity 1 rescue boat as a place of disembarkation. The crew of the non-governmental rescue ship rescued 69 survivors in the central Mediterranean early on Thursday morning, including more than 15 unaccompanied minors from distress at sea in international waters off the Libyan coast.

 The port of disembarkation, Ravenna, is over 1,600 km away from the vessel’s position at the time of the rescue. The long navigation to Ravenna, despite other ports being much closer, risks the deterioration of the condition of the already vulnerable survivors, the Humanity 1’s captain emphasised. Furthermore, the Italian authorities’ practice contradicts international maritime law and will be challenged in court by the non-governmental search and rescue organisations.

 The captain of Humanity 1 asked the responsible Italian Rescue Coordination Centre to reconsider the decision and instead assign Humanity 1 a nearby place of safety for a prompt disembarkation of the 69 survivors, stating:

 "Not only must the place of disembarkation be safe for survivors, but also the route there. Currently, we have heavy seas with strong easterly winds. A 5-day journey to Ravenna would mean 5 days in rough weather until weakened, seasick survivors are able to receive the best possible medical care on land. … A safe disembarkation could instead be guaranteed in a southern Italian port, which could be reached in just 1-2 days.”

 SOS Humanity emphasises that the systematic assignment of distant ports by the Italian authorities since December 2022 is not in compliance with international maritime law. Since December 2022, more than 20 unnecessarily distant ports have been assigned to non-governmental search and rescue organisations.

 eb