Photo: IUVENTA Jugend Rettet e.V./dpaItalian authorities on Wednesday impounded a German NGO's migrant rescue boat on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration, police said. The impounding of the Iuventa came as Italy began enforcing a controversial code of conduct for charity boats rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean. Jugend Rette was among six of nine NGO's operating search-and-rescue activities in waters off Libya to reject the new rules. Italian authorities say they are necessary to ensure the boats are not effectively encouraging migrants to embark on the perilous crossing. Just over a third of those rescued this year have been saved by NGO boats, up from around a quarter last year.

Source: The Local August 02, 2017 14:15 UTC