Germany has urged Italy to help migrants who have been onboard a German-flagged NGO boat for more than a week, saying charity vessels operating in the Mediterranean play an important role in saving lives at sea.
Three ships run by charities, including Germany's SOS Humanity, have been at sea off Italy for more than a week, carrying almost 1,000 migrants. They said all their requests to dock have so far proved unsuccessful.
Giorgia Meloni, Italy's new rightist prime minister, said the flag nations of the charity ships in question should take care of the migrants currently stranded at sea, after her government threatened to ban them from entering its waters.
