Interior Minister Matteo Salvini Italy on Saturday cleared 10 migrants to leave the rescue boat Sea-Watch 3, Italian media reported, while pressing on with plans to ban the vessel from Italian waters. The vessel rescued 53 migrants drifting in an inflatable raft off the coast of Libya on Wednesday. On Thursday, Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, ordered Italian law enforcement to prevent the boat from entering Italian waters. On Tuesday, Salvini said the 18-article decree would bring fines of up to 50,000 euros ($57,000) for the captain, owner and operator of a vessel "entering Italian territorial waters without authorisation". Salvini has seen his popularity soar in the last year after taking a hard line against migrants, which has included closing ports to rescue vessels.

Source: Libya Today June 15, 2019 19:07 UTC