By: V4 Agency
Authorities ordered an investigation on suspicion of aiding and abetting illegal immigration after the NGO ship Mediterranea Saving Humans supposedly received money from the Danish shipping company AP Moeller-Maersk for having taken over 27 migrants stranded on board the cargo ship.
On suspicion of aiding and abetting illegal immigration, the state prosecutors office in the south Italian commune of Ragusa ordered an investigation into the two ship’s crew, as well as their mother companies.
According to the accusation, the migrants were transferred without consulting the Maltese and Italian authorities, and the prosecution maintains that there was no justification of the medical emergency reported by the rescue team, who boarded the tugboat illegally on 12 September 2020.
The illegal migrants were “found in severe psycho-somatic condition by our medical team, so we immediately transfered them to our own ship to reach shore as soon as possible,” said Mediterranea Saving Humans.
The investigation is being conducted by an investigative team consisting of soldiers, police and navy members. Based on the statements, the group has possesion of phone calls, financial investigations and documentary evidence.
Mediterranea Saving Humans denies accepting money in exchange for taking the migrants on board.
In conjunction with the case, Lega party chief Matteo Salvini and Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni announced that “an urgent meeting with the prime minister and the interior minister is requested.” They also called on the government to devise a new immigration strategy as soon as possible.