Italy says could take rescued migrants MondayMigrants are rescued by members of French NGO SOS Mediterranee off the coast of Lampedusa on June 25, 2020ABOARD THE OCEAN VIKING IN THE MEDITERRANEAN - Italy is carrying out tests on 180 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean with a view to transferring them to a quarantine vessel in Sicily, an interior ministry source said Saturday. The migrants have been on the Ocean Viking ship operated by SOS Mediterranee for over a week, with fights and suicide attempts on board prompting the charity to declare a state of emergency on Friday. The Ocean Viking, which has been in limbo in the Mediterranean south of Sicily, has been waiting for permission from Italy or Malta to offload the migrants at a safe port. The migrants, which include Pakistanis, North Africans, Eritreans, Nigerians and others, were picked up after fleeing Libya in four separate rescues by the Ocean Viking on June 25 and 30. The migrants include 25 minors, most of whom are unaccompanied by adults, and two women, one of whom is pregnant.

Source: Bangkok Post July 04, 2020 22:07 UTC