- Title: Rescued migrants brought to Sicily, amid escalating row over NGO ships
- Date: 4th August 2017
- Summary: AUGUSTA, ITALY (AUGUST 4, 2017) (REUTERS) SAVE THE CHILDREN SHIP 'VOS HESTIA' IN PORT MIGRANTS ON SHIP POLICE AROUND SHIP AS MIGRANTS DISEMBARK VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS ON DOCK (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) SAVE THE CHILDREN SPOKESWOMAN GIOVANNA DI BENEDETTO SAYING: ''Today more than 320 migrants landed in Augusta. Most of them are from Eritrea, there are many children, mostly unaccompanied minors, more than 50 of them, and more than 60 minors in general. There are also many women, some of whom are pregnant. Among the people landing today, many are victims of violence and torture.'' VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS DISEMBARKING FROM SHIP OLD WOMAN BEING HELPED TO DISEMBARK BY MEDICAL PERSONNEL VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS ON DOCK (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) SAVE THE CHILDREN SPOKESWOMAN GIOVANNA DI BENEDETTO SAYING: ''In reference to the news published in some media about the investigation that led to the confiscation of the Iuventa (NGO) boat, Save the Children wishes to clarify that the people named by the press do not belong to the humanitarian personnel boarded on VSO Haste but they belong to the security personnel of a company contracted by the owner of the ship. The organisation (Save the Children) is not able to confirm any new information, like what we have learnt from the press and the media. Save the Children confirms great confidence in the work of the prosecutors towards a speedy clarification of the situation in the best interest of the operations of search and rescue at sea.'' PEOPLE DISEMBARKING GROUP OF WOMEN DISEMBARKING MIGRANTS ON DOCK
- Embargoed: 18th August 2017 12:51
- Keywords: Migrants NGO Iuventa Save the Children migration rescue Mediterranean
- Location: AUGUSTA, ITALY
- City: AUGUSTA, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SQQE6F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A rescue ship from the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Save the Children brought more than 320 migrants and the bodies of eight people who died in the Mediterranean this week to the Sicilian port of Augusta on Friday (August 4), amid an escalating row over the role of charities in the rescues.
The migrants, many from Eritrea, included about 50 unaccompanied minors and many pregnant women, Govan Di Benedetto, a spokeswoman from Save the Children, said. Some of the migrants bore signs of violence and torture.
Italian coastguards seized a migrant rescue boat, the Iuventa, suspected of aiding illegal immigration from Libya.
Italian media reported the investigation had used footage collected by under-cover police on board Save The Children's VSO Haste.
Di Benedetto said the people named by the press belonged "to the security personnel of a company contracted by the owner of the ship" rather than Save the Children.
The Iuventa was operated by a German aid group in the Mediterranean, Jurgen Rettet, which describes itself as an organization of young Europeans. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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