According to the German maritime rescue organization C-I, Italian authorities have arrested the rescue ship “C-I 4” again. The Regensburg-based organization said on Wednesday night that the ship and crew were not allowed to leave the port of Salerno in southern Italy for 20 days. Along with this, a fine of 3333 Euro was also imposed. According to C-I, a total of 114 people were rescued last week.
C-i said Italy accused the organization of “repeated violations” of a decree passed earlier this year that required rescue organizations to return to port after just one mission. “C-I 4” had already settled in Italy in early June.
C-I President Gordon Isler said his organization “was once again accused of running too many rescues. “If we had not done this, people would have died,” he said.
The decree, which according to the organization determined “C-I4”, was passed by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and passed into law by parliament in February.
Meloni took office in October and promised to limit the number of migrants arriving on Italy’s shores. According to the decree, the passengers of the rescue ships must disembark at the ports assigned to them – often hundreds of kilometers from the rescue site.
