Italy Ramps Up Punishment For Boats Rescuing Illegals In Mediterranean

In a sharp escalation of Italy’s ongoing crackdown on illegal migration across the Mediterranean, the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has impounded a humanitarian rescue ship for the 23rd time. The vessel, Geo Barents, operated by the international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), was detained in the port of Salerno this week following its rescue of 191 migrants.

Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party has touted her success at curbing migrant inflows, but humanitarian groups have accused Rome of the ‘systematic obstruction of civilian search and rescue activities’ © Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images

The 60-day detention order, issued on Monday night, is one of the most severe actions taken in an 18-month campaign against humanitarian groups operating in the Mediterranean. Italian authorities accused Geo Barents of endangering lives and failing to provide timely information during a night-time rescue last Friday, when the crew intervened to save migrants from a small fiberglass boat that was being approached by a Libyan coastguard vessel, FT reports.

MSF, however, has rejected these accusations, stating that their crew had “no choice” but to carry out the rescue after witnessing a significant number of people falling—or being pushed—overboard. The charity has labeled the Italian government’s decision as “arbitrary and inhumane.”

The impoundment is in-line with Meloni’s vow to curb irregular migration – a key promise of her administration, which has led to a sharp decrease in migrant arrivals—just over 39,500 this year, compared to 112,500 in the same period last year.

NGOs Protest…

The groups ferrying in illegals – including MSF, Oxfam Italia, and SOS Humanity – have decried the measures as a “systematic obstruction of civilian search and rescue activities,” which they say are now taking a toll in human lives. The groups filed formal complaints with the European Commission over a year ago, questioning whether Italy’s regulations comply with EU and international law. Brussels is still evaluating the matter.

Italian authorities ordered a 60-day detention of Geo Barents © AFP via Getty Images

“They are selling this to public opinion as success, but the price is death and very severe human rights violations,” said Juan Matias Gil, who leads MSF’s Mediterranean search and rescue operations.

Of course, globalist leaders have denounced the measures – including Pope Francis. In a strong rebuke during his weekly audience on Wednesday, the pontiff slammed the refusal of aid to migrants crossing the Mediterranean as a “grave sin.”

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has noted that while irregular arrivals to Italy have decreased, the number of shipwrecks and drownings has not seen a corresponding decline. The IOM estimates that at least 1,027 migrants have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean this year, making the crossing more perilous than ever.

Furthermore, 13,763 migrants intercepted at sea have been returned to Libya, where they often face imprisonment and abuse, according to the IOM.

Maybe if they weren’t promised a government-funded life abroad they wouldn’t have attempted the crossing?

Right after Meloni took office in late 2022, her government implemented strict new rules to limit the ability of humanitarian groups to rescue migrants. These include warnings that vessels failing to comply with the protocols will be impounded—a threat that has been repeatedly realized. Ten search and rescue boats have been detained by Italian authorities, some more than once, resulting in a cumulative loss of 480 days at sea for rescue operations this year alone, according to SOS Humanity.

The impounding of Geo Barents marks the vessel’s third detention, and MSF has vowed to challenge the “unlawful detention” in court. However, such cases are often not heard until long after the boats have been released, effectively undermining the legal process.

“The government knows very well that the speed of justice is much slower than the administrative measure,” said Gil. “We are losing money . . . and all that time we are locked in port is never coming back.”

Meanwhile, other rescue vessels, like the MV Louise Michel—funded by the artist Banksy—continue their operations under increasing pressure. After being released from a 20-day detention on August 7, the crew of the Louise Michel reported rescuing 229 people from seven boats in distress in the Mediterranean just this week.

As the Meloni government tightens its grip on the Mediterranean, the future of humanitarian rescue missions in the region remains fraught with uncertainty, and the human cost of this geopolitical struggle continues to rise.