Prosecutors in Catania have seized
a ship operated by the Spanish NGO ProActiva Open Arms engaged
in migrant search and rescue operations in the central
Mediterranean.
The vessel is currently berthed at Pozzallo after it
disembarked 218 migrants on Saturday, having refused to hand
them over to the Libyan authorities following two days of
diplomatic negotiations.
Three people have been placed under investigation, the
captain, the on-board coordinator and the Spanish head of the
NGO, for alleged criminal association for illegal immigration
purposes.
The probe centres on the events leading up to the ship's
arrival in Pozzallo on Saturday.
ProActiva Open Arms claims its actions were dictated
exclusively by need as part of an operation to save lives at
sea.
However, prosecutors say there was a specific plan to bring
the migrants to Italy in violation of the law and international
agreements, as demonstrated by the last rescue operation
involving four countries (Italy, Malta, Spain and Libya).
Four days ago the NGO intervened on behalf of 218 migrants in
an operation contested by the Libyan coastguard on grounds it
was conducted in its area of competence.
The coastguard then asked to take charge of the migrants but
the NGO refused.
The Italian coastguard says coordination "fell to the Libyan
coastguard" and that the NGO was aware of this, but continued to
resist and 'won'.
"Despite the proximity of Malta" the ship then headed towards
Italy pending indications from the Spanish authorities", the
coastguard continued.
However, prosecutors claim it deliberately sent no request to
the Spanish authorities and continued north, in violation of the
rules, so it could berth in Italy.
On entering Italian territorial waters, the ship received
permission to berth at Pozzallo, where it arrived on Saturday.
It will remain under seizure pending the decision of the
preliminary investigations judge.
Proactiva Opens Arms founder Oscar Camps said the NGO was
trying to get another ship and would seek to continue saving
migrants.
Camps linked the ship's seizure to the Italian election
results, saying: "The Northern League and the Five Stars won,
who are the extreme right and have more xenophobic and
harder-line positions on immigration".
Catania prosecutors said the NGO had "arbitrarily" decided to
operate in a zone that was the competence of the Libyan Coast
Guard.
League leader Matteo Salvini hailed the seizure, saying it
was a step in the right direction towards stopping migrants
landing in Italy altogether.
Centre-left and leftwing parties questioned the seizure.
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