(CNN) A humanitarian ship that rescued over 400 migrants at sea in recent weeks has been seized by Italian authorities, in a move that French medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned would endanger the lives of migrants in the Mediterranean. According to the Italian Coast Guard, the seizure was the result of a "periodic inspection" required for foreign ships docking in Italian ports, which "highlighted various technical irregularities that could compromise the safety of the crew and of the people on board." The ship did not have a sufficient amount of life saving equipment on board, such as rafts and life belts, the Coast Guard statement said. During a 14-hour inspection of the vessel, officials found 22 issues overall -- 10 of which were grounds for the ship to be detained, it also said. An Italian law enforcement vehicle parked next to the ship "Geo Barents" while migrants wait to disembark in Sicily on June 18.

Source: CNN July 05, 2021 21:22 UTC