Over 50,000 people across the EU have signed a petition urging politicians to allow the migrant rescue ship Aquarius to return to normal operations following the disembarkation of 58 migrants in Malta on Sunday.

The ship is currently heading for Marseille having, in quick succession, lost its Gibraltar and then Panamanian registrations. 

It operating in the central Mediterranean for 31 months, saving 29,523 lives in more than 230 rescue operations, its operators said.

But over the summer it was at the heart of controversy as one country after another barred it from their ports to disembark migrants.   

SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders, the ship's two operators, have blamed Italy for pressing Panama to strike off the ship, even though Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini denied any involvement.

The NGOs have urged European governments to step in and allow the Aquarius to continue its mission, either by dismissing Italy’s threats to Panama or by issuing the ship a new flag under which it could sail. 

The online petition, started last week, is urging member states to take all measures possible to allow the Aquarius to resume her mission as soon as possible.

It is also asking member states to establish an “effective European rescue model” in the Mediterranean.

The NGOs noted that other migrants rescue ships had been impounded, in Malta and elsewhere.

Solidarity and humanity were being criminalised, at sea and on land, the petition warned.

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