Italy stops adult male migrants from disembarking

35 men have been unable to disembark from a migrant ship that has been demanding entry to an Italian port for two weeks due to Italy’s new far-right government.

In Sicily, passengers with disabilities and minors were permitted to disembark. One of four migrant-carrying ships awaiting approval to dock in Italy was the Humanity 1.

Giorgia Meloni, the next Italian prime minister, has vowed to crack down on migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. According to the UN, 85,000 migrants have arrived on boats in Italy since the year began, one of the main access routes into Europe. Many of the migrants embark on their journey in small boats and are saved by relief ships.

On Sunday morning, 144 individuals in total were permitted to disembark the Humanity 1, which flies the German flag. The “flag state” should look after those who do not “qualify” as vulnerable, according to Matteo Piantedosi, the interior minister of Italy.

The refugees’ attitude is particularly gloomy, according to the charity that operates the ship: “One individual just had a breakdown,” Petra Krischok of SOS Humanity told the AFP news agency. According to the charity, it is against international law to stop those in need of assistance from disembarking.

While three further ships carrying about 900 people have also asked to enter an Italian port, they have not yet been permitted to dock.

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