- Title: Italian political standoff keeps rescued migrants stranded at sea
- Date: 16th August 2019
- Summary: OFF LAMPEDUSA, ITALY (AUGUST 16, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHARITY RESCUE SHIP "OPEN ARMS" LYING MOORED OFF COAST ITALIAN POLICE VESSEL BOAT SAILING PAST RESCUE SHIP RESCUE SHIP SEEN FROM COAST SEAGULL STANDING IN FRONT OF RESCUE SHIP ITALIAN POLICE VESSEL RESCUE SHIP SEEN FROM COAST
- Embargoed: 30th August 2019 09:59
- Keywords: Spanish rescue ship Open Arms Mediterranean migrants
- Location: OFF LAMPEDUSA, ITALY
- City: OFF LAMPEDUSA, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASGWI87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A charity rescue ship carrying 134 migrants, mostly Africans, waited off the coast of Italy on Friday (August 16) as a battle between former political allies in Rome stopped it docking at the southern island of Lampedusa.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has ordered his officials to prevent the boat disembarking the migrants, who were rescued off Libya 16 days ago, in defiance of his own prime minister and despite six European Union nations agreeing to take them.
The migrants' plight underlines the breakdown of Italy's ruling coalition and how immigration has become central to Salvini's plan to take his right-wing League party out of government, drag the nation to elections and return to power as prime minister.
Five seriously traumatised people were moved off the Open Arms boat, run by the Spanish charity group of the same name, on Thursday (August 15), accompanied by four relatives.
Three more three requiring urgent medical attention were taken ashore during the night along with one companion, Open Arms said on Twitter.
(Production: Guglielmo Mangiapane, Eleanor Biles) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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