UN urges for urgent rescue of refugees from Banksy ship, two others in Mediterranean

The United Nations' Human Rights body and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have called for safe disembarkation of more than 400 refugees, who are currently on board of three vessels in the Central Mediterranean.

The UN agencies issued a joint statement on August 29, calling for urgent transfer of these refugees to dry land. The agencies also said that lack of agreement on a regional disembarkation mechanism cannot be an excuse to deny vulnerable people a port of safety and the assistance they need. 

Read: Greek Coast Guard Rescue Migrants In Aegean Sea Operation

'Delays could jeopardise safety'

Over 400 migrants are currently stuck on three different vessels, Louise Michel, Sea-Watch 4, and Maersk Etienne. Louise Michel, which is funded by British street artist Banksy, is alone holding over 200 people, more than its safe carrying capacity.

The UN agency for migrants said, "Any delays could jeopardise the safety of all people on board, including its crew members." Some 200 people are on board another NGO-funded vessel Sea-Watch 4, which the agencies said should be provided with a safe port.

Banksy, who is known for being anonymous, posted a video of his rescue vessel on Instagram, criticising EU authorities for turning a blind eye on the crisis. The video of people being rescued with the help of the former French Navy boat also has a message at the end that reads, "All Black Lives Matter".

Read: Hundreds Of Migrants Remain Stranded In Bosnia

Meanwhile, some 27 people who had departed from Libya have been aboard a commercial vessel Maersk Etienne since being rescued on August 5. Describing the situation as "unacceptable", the UN agencies stressed that a commercial tanker "cannot be considered a suitable place to keep people in need of humanitarian assistance or those who may need international protection", adding that "appropriate COVID-19 prevention measures can be implemented once they reach dry land."

The UN agencies also expressed concern about what they described as the continued absence of dedicated EU-led search and rescue capacity in the Central Mediterranean. 

Read: Greek Coast Guard Rescues 96 From Yacht Carrying Migrants

"With relatively fewer NGO vessels compared to previous years, the gap is being increasingly filled by commercial vessels. It is vital that they are permitted to disembark rescued passengers promptly, as, without such timely processes, shipmasters of commercial vessels may be deterred from attending to distress calls for fear of being stranded at sea for weeks on end," the agencies said.  

Read: German NGO Ship 'Sea-Watch 4' Rescues Migrants In Southern Mediterranean Sea