UPDATE: Invitation to Press Conference on 9 November 2022
UPDATE: All 35 survivors can disembark from the Humanity 1 – press conference 11 o’clock
09.11.2022. Last night at 10:15 pm, the 35 people rescued from distress at sea who were stuck on the rescue ship Humanity 1 in Catania, Sicily, were able to disembark. They had previously announced that they were on a hunger strike to draw attention to their fate. At the weekend, they had been forced to remain on board after a selection process by the authorities, while the other 143, out of 179 total rescued people on board the ship of the organisation SOS Humanity, were able to disembark. In doing so, the authorities were following a new decree from the Italian government. The non-governmental search and rescue organisation SOS Humanity is taking legal action against this, designating the decree as illegal.
Till Rummenhohl, Head of Ship Operations of SOS Humanity and currently on board the Humanity 1: “We are relieved that the people can go ashore and that all those rescued from distress at sea have finally been assigned a place of safety, as required by maritime law. With the disembarkation of all these people, we were able to complete our second rescue operation. However, we are appalled by the blatant disregard of the law and of human rights by Italian authorities. At the same time, we are grateful and hopeful thanks to the amazing solidarity we have experienced around the world in recent days – from Canada to Australia and especially here in Italy from the Italian people.”
SOS Humanity announced that it would start search and rescue operations again as soon as possible. Rummenhohl: “No matter what the political situation is in Italy or the EU right now, people are fleeing Libya because they are being mistreated there and have no choice but to make the life-threatening journey across the Mediterranean.”
We will be happy to inform you about the disembarkation last night and the further legal and operational procedures of the search and rescue organisation SOS Humanity at the press conference which we previously announced yesterday afternoon.
Time: Wednesday, 9. November 2022, 11.00
Place: Catania, Sicily, Italy
Address: Port of Catania, Pier 24
with
Till Rummenhohl, Head of Ship Operations of SOS Humanity, currently on board Humanity 1, who will talk about the process of the sudden disembarkation as well as the further operational and legal steps to be taken
Sylvia, doctor, currently on board the Humanity 1, who will talk about the process of medical evaluation by the authorities and the health status of the asylum seekers.
For further questions, the following people will be available afterwards, among others:Petra Krischok, Press Officer SOS Humanity, currently on board Humanity 1
We appreciate your interest and look forward to seeing you there. The press conference will also be broadcast live on our Instagram Channel: @soshumanity_de