Italy letting rescue ship with 306 migrants go to Sicily
ABC News
A charity operating a rescue ship with 306 migrants aboard says after days of waiting at sea Italy has assigned it a port to disembark its passengers
ROME -- After days of waiting in the choppy central Mediterranean, a charity rescue ship with 306 migrants aboard on Wednesday received permission by Italy to disembark the passengers just as a storm approached, the humanitarian organization said.
SOS Mediterranee tweeted that those aboard Ocean Viking felt “indescribable relief” that Italian authorities approved disembarking of the passengers in Augusta, Sicily.
The humanitarian group said the port assignment came just ahead of a strong storm bearing down on area of the central Mediterranean where Ocean Viking has been essentially stranded for days while waiting permission to dock.
"States must set up again a mechanism for disembarking to avoid these continuous stalemates at sea,'' the charity said.
