The rescue ship Ocean Viking, recently returned from a 23-day mission during which it plucked 356 migrants out of the Mediterranean, will go back out to sea as soon as possible, one of its operators said Friday.
The vessel, operated jointly by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), docked in Marseilles in southern France on Tuesday, but will return to sea "as quickly as possible, it's a matter of days," said SOS Mediterranee's rescue coordinator, Nicholas Romaniuk.
Maintenance and repair work was being carried out, but "once that's completed, we'll set out again," Romaniuk told reporters during an on-board briefing.
The crew was tired, but remained "highly motivated," despite the complexity of the rescue missions off the Libyan coast, he said.
Following their rescue from Libya's perilous waters, the mainly African migrants were forced to wait on board for 12 days because of a major stand-off with EU countries, which could not agree who would take them in.
Romaniuk hit out at the lack of coordination which he said had led to the deaths of hundreds of migrants crowded into rubber dinghies.
"As soon as we see a boat, we call the Libyan coastguard, but they don't answer," he said.
The Ocean Viking's daily running costs amounted to 14,000 euros ($15,400), "and it's essentially private individuals who finance our missions," said the head of SOS Mediterranee, Sophie Beau.
Beau warned that the situation on board the rescue ships could "degenerate very, very quickly" if the migrants are not given the perspective of disembarkation in a safe port.
"Their greatest fear is being sent back to Libya," where living conditions were deplorable, she said.
The rescue ship Ocean Viking, recently returned from a 23-day mission during which it plucked 356 migrants out of the Mediterranean, will go back out to sea as soon as possible, one of its operators said Friday.
The vessel, operated jointly by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), docked in Marseilles in southern France on Tuesday, but will return to sea “as quickly as possible, it’s a matter of days,” said SOS Mediterranee’s rescue coordinator, Nicholas Romaniuk.
Maintenance and repair work was being carried out, but “once that’s completed, we’ll set out again,” Romaniuk told reporters during an on-board briefing.
The crew was tired, but remained “highly motivated,” despite the complexity of the rescue missions off the Libyan coast, he said.
Following their rescue from Libya’s perilous waters, the mainly African migrants were forced to wait on board for 12 days because of a major stand-off with EU countries, which could not agree who would take them in.
Romaniuk hit out at the lack of coordination which he said had led to the deaths of hundreds of migrants crowded into rubber dinghies.
“As soon as we see a boat, we call the Libyan coastguard, but they don’t answer,” he said.
The Ocean Viking’s daily running costs amounted to 14,000 euros ($15,400), “and it’s essentially private individuals who finance our missions,” said the head of SOS Mediterranee, Sophie Beau.
Beau warned that the situation on board the rescue ships could “degenerate very, very quickly” if the migrants are not given the perspective of disembarkation in a safe port.
“Their greatest fear is being sent back to Libya,” where living conditions were deplorable, she said.
