NGOs plan to help migrants at sea

Migrant rights groups are planning to use ships and boats to provide assistance to migrants crossing the Mediterranean but are not saying where they would take the asylum seekers.

A coalition of Euro-Mediterranean groups based in Italy and France (including Migeurop, Cimade, Gisti and FIDH) decided on the action during a recent meeting in Cecina, Italy.

“The lack of hospitality within European policy has reached such an appalling level that it is our duty to act and to show the possibility of a Euro-Mediterranean area based on solidarity and respect for human rights,” the NGO coalition said in a statement.

They said their flotilla would carry out maritime surveillance so that assistance could be provided to people in danger since the EU had still not taken any initiative to host the migrants or save those endangered at sea.

“On the contrary, the EU is reinforcing border surveillance through the deployment of the Frontex agency in the Mediterranean while vessels of the coalition forces do not provide assistance to boat-people. The UNHCR estimates that more than 2,000 people are missing at sea since February.”

The organisations called on those interested to help them realise their project.