Open Arms refuses 'unworkable' bid for Spain to host ship

The NGO Proactiva Open Arms on Sunday refused the offer of Spain to host his boat carrying a hundred migrants in the Mediterranean, deeming "absolutely unfeasible" to rally the proposed port because of the "humanitarian emergency".

The Spanish government had proposed earlier in the day to welcome in the port of Algeciras (extreme south) the ship of the NGO, which is currently facing the Italian island of Lampedusa, because of "the situation of "emergency" on board and facing the "inconceivable decision of the Italian authorities to close all their ports".

But it is "absolutely unfeasible" for the boat, which transports 105 adults and two children in "unsustainable" conditions, to go to Algeciras facing the "humanitarian emergency" after 17 days at sea, according to Laura Lanuza, spokesperson for Proactiva Open Arms. Its founder, Oscar Camps, said it would take five days for the boat to travel nearly 1,000 nautical miles to Algeciras.

At the same time, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a final call for "the Italian authorities to allow the disembarkation" of migrants. "The Italian government can be assured that as soon as the migrants have landed, they will be immediately distributed" among the countries that have proposed to host them: France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and Spain, according to the text.

The French Interior Ministry said Sunday that France had committed to welcoming 40 migrants from the Open Arms.

In addition, the Spanish government has indicated that it is "considering the possibility of appealing to the European Union or the institutions guaranteeing respect for human rights and international maritime law" to challenge Italy's attitude.

– Explosive situation –

On Friday, Marc Reig, the ship's commander, described an "explosive" situation on board. On Sunday, Oscar Camps focused on the "desperation" of migrants: in a tweet, he posted a video where he describes a group of four passengers who jump into the water to try to rally Lampedusa before swimming to be brought back on the ship.

Italy's interior minister, far-right leader Matteo Salvini, reluctantly agreed on Saturday to let 27 unaccompanied minor migrants land. But he continues to refuse the landing of the rest of the passengers, despite the commitments of other countries.

"The (European) Commission has had intensive contacts over the past week and we are very grateful for the cooperation of France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and Spain", commented Friday a Commission spokeswoman, Vanessa Rock.

But "no European country has made formal steps to accommodate the migrants on board," the same day sources told the Italian Interior Ministry, demanding concrete commitments.

– Political crisis –

This umpteenth confrontation between a relief ship and the Italian Minister of the Interior took place this time in the context of the political crisis that is shaking Rome.

On August 8 Salvini shattered the government coalition formed by his political party, the League (far right), with the Five-Star Movement (M5S, antisystem). He called for the speedy organization of elections, while he is credited with 36 to 38 percent of voting intentions in the polls.

But a political front seems to be forming against him, unexpectedly through an alliance between his ex-M5S partner and the Democratic Party (center-left).

Migration policy has taken center stage in this crisis, pending a possible vote of no confidence against the government in the Senate on Tuesday.

For his part, the Spaniard Pedro Sanchez, also facing a political crisis, was in recent months back on the welcoming migration policy of its beginnings in June. After having collected the Aquarius and its more than 600 migrants, then three times the Open Arms, he had abruptly in August refused to receive the Aquarius again, and had since allowed no arrival of humanitarian ship.

Meanwhile, the ship Ocean Viking, NGOs SOS Mediterranean and Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), was also looking for a port, with 356 migrants on board. It is now idling halfway between Malta and Lampedusa, while the decree prohibiting Italian territorial waters is still in force and the Maltese authorities remain deaf to his requests.