Sept organisations appellent la France à agir au plus vite pour mettre à l’abri les rescapés du Sea Watch et du Sea Eye. Il y a urgence : deux navires de sauvetage affrétés par les ONG allemandes Sea Watch et Sea-Eye sont bloqués en mer depuis plus de 15 jours avec 49 migrants à bord, dont des enfants, considérablement affaiblis.
Nous demandons à la France de mettre immédiatement à l’abri ces rescapés dans un port sûr et de jouer un rôle moteur pour définir, à l’échelle européenne, un mécanisme de sauvetage et d’accueil des personnes en détresse en mer Méditerranée.
Ces 49 personnes, fuyant les guerres et la misère, traumatisées par les violences subies en Libye – où la torture et le trafic d’être humains demeurent d’actualité comme l’a confirmé le mois dernier un rapport des Nations Unies1 – se retrouvent aujourd’hui à la dérive dans les eaux maltaises sans pouvoir accoster sur l’île. Les deux bateaux ont été autorisés à entrer dans les eaux territoriales pour se protéger des intempéries de la haute mer mais sans pouvoir débarquer.
En mer depuis plusieurs semaines, les équipages sont en manque d’eau potable et ne peuvent donc pas apporter une réponse satisfaisante à la dégradation de l’état de santé des personnes secourues.
Malgré l’urgence de cette situation, et alors que le Haut-Commissariat aux Réfugiés vient de publier le chiffre de 2 262 migrants morts en Méditerranée en 2018, aucun Etat européen n’a encore accepté de faire entrer ces embarcations dans l’un de ses ports. Ce, en violation de nombreuses obligations issues du droit international, à commencer par le principe de non refoulement, l’assistance à personne en danger et le droit d’asile.
La fermeture des ports et les mesures d’intimidation prises contre les ONG engagées dans le secours en mer par les pays européens condamnent des personnes en détresse à se noyer en Méditerranée ou à être ramenées en Libye, où elles sont exposées à un niveau de violence extrême.
Nos organisations demandent à la France de prendre des mesures concrètes pour que ces rescapés soient mis hors de danger le plus rapidement possible et débarquent dans un port sûr. Elle doit également garantir l’accès au territoire européen pour les personnes en quête de protection et promouvoir une réelle politique d’accueil, en Europe comme sur son propre territoire.
▶ Signataires : Emmaüs France, La Cimade, Emmaüs International, Gisti, Médecins du monde, Médecins sans frontières, Secours catholique.
▶Téléchargez le communiqué de presse
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M/Y Sea-Watch 3, one of the last and with over 50 meters the currently biggest civilian/NGO rescue ship in the central Mediterranean Sea, is seen in the Search & Rescue area off the Libyan Coast, on Decemer, 19, 2018.
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Rescue worker Morana Dagorova hands out lifejackets to the people on board the refugee rubber boat — On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were
drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27
nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors.
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People on the refugee boat — On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were
drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27
nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors.
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On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27 nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors. EU countries, including Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have so far refused to provide a port of safety to disembark the rescuees who remain stranded at sea together with their 22 rescuers (as of Dec., 28, 2018).
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On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27 nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors. EU countries, including Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have so far refused to provide a port of safety to disembark the rescuees who remain stranded at sea together with their 22 rescuers (as of Dec., 28, 2018).
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« We feel lonely here in these holy days, without our parish and without a church in which we could celebrate the birth of Christ. At the same time, we’re grateful because we have been rescued – many others have not been that blessed. » Emmanuel from Nigeria, on board Sea-Watch 3. — On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27 nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors. EU countries, including Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have so far refused to provide a port of safety to disembark the rescuees who remain stranded at sea together with their 22 rescuers (as of Dec., 28, 2018).
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Christmas Eve on board Sea-Watch 3: Nasreen (2nd from right) and her son Zizou (left) from Libya play on the aft deck of Sea-Watch 3, together with two other refugees. — On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27 nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors. EU countries, including Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have so far refused to provide a port of safety to disembark the rescuees who remain stranded at sea together with their 22 rescuers (as of Dec., 28, 2018).
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Christmas Eve on board Sea-Watch 3: Two days after being rescued, Zizou (6) from Libya presents a drawing of the rescue situation. — On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27 nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors. EU countries, including Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have so far refused to provide a port of safety to disembark the rescuees who remain stranded at sea together with their 22 rescuers (as of Dec., 28, 2018).
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On the first Christmas day the weather on the Mediterreanean deteriorates and many of the rescuees get sea sick. — On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27 nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors. EU countries, including Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have so far refused to provide a port of safety to disembark the rescuees who remain stranded at sea together with their 22 rescuers (as of Dec., 28, 2018).
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Nasreen (left) from Libya, tinkering a puppet, together with a refugee child on the Aft deck of Sea-Watch 3. — On December, 22, 2018 Sea-Watch 3 crew rescued 33 people from distress at sea. The refugees were drifting in an unseaworthy rubber boat in international waters, about 27 nautical miles off Sabratah, Libya. Among the 32 survivors are 4 women,
3 children, and 4 unaccompanied minors. EU countries, including Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have so far refused to provide a port of safety to disembark the rescuees who remain stranded at sea together with their 22 rescuers (as of Dec., 28, 2018).
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