Germany Ready To Host Dozens Of Migrants Saved By Sea-Watch 3 Ship In Italy - Reports

Berlin is ready to host about one third of migrants saved on Saturday by German non-governmental organization's Sea-Watch 3 ship, whose captain is now under house arrest in Italy, local media reported Tuesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd July, 2019) Berlin is ready to host about one third of migrants saved on Saturday by German non-governmental organization's Sea-Watch 3 ship, whose captain is now under house arrest in Italy, local media reported Tuesday.

On June 12, the search and rescue vessel Sea-Watch 3 saved refugees not far from the Libyan coast and wanted to dock in Italian Lampedusa port but was denied permission. Italy was keeping the ship out of its port for two weeks, so the vessel's captain, Carola Rackete, decided to dock in Lampedusa and hit a customs and border police motorboat. On June 29, she was arrested and is now facing 10 years in prison for ramming a navy vessel.

According to the Spiegel magazine, Germany is ready to host over a dozen of 40 migrants saved.

The German Interior Ministry said last week that Berlin was ready to host some of those migrants saved if other EU states would also do so. Later on, Finland, France, Portugal and Luxembourg expressed their readiness to receive the migrants as well.

The incident caused a wave of outrage and protests as many suppose Rackete was detained unfairly. Besides 10 years in prison, she may also face a 50,000 euro ($58,000) fine which Italy has recently introduced for disembarking rescued migrants on its soil without permission.

In addition, Sicilian prosecutors have opened an investigation against the captain for allegedly supporting human trafficking.

After Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini took his office in 2018, Rome adopted a hardline policy on migration. Salvini has repeatedly said that Italy could not remain Europe's "refugee camp" while neighboring countries close their borders and defend their frontiers with weapons. Earlier in June, Italy adopted a security and migration decree, which aims to curb the activity of migrant rescue ships operated by humanitarian groups.

European countries have been struggling with their worst migration crisis in recent history for around four years.The migrant issue is a stumbling bloc for the European Union as it has no mechanism regulating the fair distribution of refugees rescued in the Mediterranean sea among the member states. Italy, alongside Spain and Greece, have been one of the most affected countries as they serve as the main entry point for undocumented migrants who reach Europe by sea.