Thirty migrants are stranded on an offshore platform in the Mediterranean, facing severe health issues due to lack of food. Aid organizations are urging intervention from Italian and Maltese authorities, as the migrants are in international waters. Human rights groups warn of potential rights violations if the migrants are returned to Libya or Tunisia.
A group of 30 migrants has been stranded on an offshore platform in the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 75 miles off the coast of Tunisia. According to Alarm Phone, an emergency hotline service, these migrants have not received food for several days and their health is deteriorating rapidly. The platform is characterized as unsuitable for adequate care, raising serious humanitarian concerns.
The migrants reportedly arrived on an inflatable boat, which has since been tied to the platform. Following a reconnaissance visit by the humanitarian organization Sea-Watch, it was confirmed that one person has died due to the harsh conditions, with others suffering from severe hunger and exhaustion.
Aid organizations are urging the Italian and Maltese authorities to take action, highlighting that the migrants are in international waters and within both countries’ search and rescue zones. Sea-Watch has stated that “They have the right to be transferred to a safe port.”
Human rights organizations have cautioned that Shell, the owner of the platform, and Amilcar Petroleum Operations, the operator, could face complicity charges in potential rights violations. They stress that international law prevents individuals from being returned to countries where they might suffer persecution or harm.
The plight of the 30 stranded migrants off the North African coast underscores urgent humanitarian and legal issues. As conditions worsen, intervention from Italian and Maltese authorities is critical to ensure their safe transfer to a port. Furthermore, the potential complicity of Shell and Amilcar Petroleum in possible rights violations raises significant ethical and legal questions regarding international protections for vulnerable individuals.
Original Source: libyaobserver.ly
