Nearly 400 refugees and migrants remained stranded in the central Mediterranean after an overcrowded rescue vessel was emptied of all the rescued people on Saturday. The survivors later said three people had died at sea before the arrival of the Louise Michel. Over the course of Saturday, 49 survivors were picked up from the Louise Michel by the Italian coastguard and taken to the island of Lampedusa. SOLAS [international treaty on safety of life at sea] obliges you to rescue at sea. The two countries have long said they are disproportionately affected by Europe-bound sea migration from North Africa, and that there is insufficient burden-sharing across the European Union.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 30, 2020 09:56 UTC