Migrant rescue ship Aquarius, which three months ago was at the centre of a row between Italy, France and Spain as to where it could unload hundreds of migrants rescued at sea, was today seeking a safe haven for 11 migrants it says were saved off the Libyan coast again.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Nave Aquarius preleva migranti in acque libiche.<br>Salvini: porti chiusi<a href="https://t.co/JWjJ50bny6">https://t.co/JWjJ50bny6</a></p>— Imola Oggi (@ImolaOggi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImolaOggi/status/1042836458913128448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The rescue vessel said it moved in to save ten men and an unaccompanied minor from a sinking boat after trying to alert Libya's coastguard on Thursday morning. The migrants are said to be from Pakistan and Ivory Coast.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Salvini on Aquarius NGO: “They can go anywhere, but not in Italy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClosedPorts?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClosedPorts</a>”: The… <a href="https://t.co/hfMpaAM1Ib">https://t.co/hfMpaAM1Ib</a></p>— Spain / Italy PI (@SpainItalyPI) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpainItalyPI/status/1043130479225044992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Italy’s Interior Minister Mr Matteo Salvini said: "The Aquarius 2 (the official name for the boat) has recovered about 10 people in Libyan search and rescue waters, a few miles from the mainland, but refused to cooperate with the coastguard in Tripoli."
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/37195-EU-Immigration-Spat-Salvini-IT-Don-t-Want-New-Slaves-Asselborn-LUX-Merde-Alors-Video"> EU Immigration Spat - Salvini (IT): Don’t Want New ‘Slaves’ – Asselborn (LUX): Merde Alors! (Video)</a>.
"Now it's floating in the Mediterranean. I say it again and again: go wherever you want, but not to Italy."
The Aquarius confirmed that it had contacted authorities in Italy, Malta and Tunisia for help. Authorities in Rome, upon instruction of Mr Salvini, passed on the information and the ship’s location to the Libyan coastguard, who asked them to put the migrants on one of their patrol vessels.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">'Go wherever you want, but not to Italy': Salvini denies entry to Aquarius migrant rescue boat, again <a href="https://t.co/PyhKocu7ez">https://t.co/PyhKocu7ez</a> <a href="https://t.co/n7LOLfIqPc">pic.twitter.com/n7LOLfIqPc</a></p>— The Local Europe (@TheLocalEurope) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLocalEurope/status/1043035625815867394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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However, the crew of the Aquarius, headed by French NGO SOS Méditerranée, claimed that Libyan ports were not considered places of safety.
The Aquarius has recently had to change its registration to Panama after Gibraltar revoked its flag.
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They needn't cast off in a rickety boat….there a no end to contingent states where these interlopers could seek refuge.
That's clearly a naval invasion. Send the Italian Coast Guard out to sink the enemy vessel and any like it until the enemy surrenders.
Until these scows are sunk by shell fire 💥 by western navies.
Until these scows are sunk by shell fire 💥 by western navies this evil fraud will continue…
The invaders are being sent by the UN in order to destabilize established governments of the West. The UN will later swoop in, destroy the muslims, claim greatness, then everyone is screwed.
These fools think they're rescue operation is some great humanitarian effort. It's a joke. These migrants know what they're doing and they expect to be picked up and helped. Screw them, they want to go for a boat ride fine, if they sink even better.