State Of Emergency On Board The Ocean Viking, As 180 Migrants Are Still Waiting For A Port

The rescue vessel Ocean Viking, operated by the NGO SOS Mediterranée, has declared a state of emergency and requested an urgent response from the European Union after sending at least six requests to Italy and Malta for a port to dock in.

Many of those on board, including 25 minors and a pregnant woman, have been waiting to disembark for a week, after being rescued by the ship.

The NGO has sent at least six requests to Italy and Malta to disembark but has received no response, and on Friday declared a state of emergency, after tension and mental distress increased on deck, with physical violence and threats among the migrants and also against the crew.

The long wait in the Mediterranean caused two men to jump off the ship on Thursday, who were recovered by the rescue team, while three others tried to jump but were stopped in time. On Friday another man tried to hang himself.

SOS Mediterranée has asked the European Union for an urgent response to end the wait at sea for the rescued migrants.