A European humanitarian aid group accused Italy of harassing humanitarian operations in the Mediterranean Sea, after its migrant rescue boat, Ocean Viking, was impounded over security concerns. The ship had been allowed to disembark at a Sicilian port on July 7, with 180 rescued migrants onboard transferred to another boat for a two-week coronavirus quarantine. Those two weeks ended on Tuesday, but the next day the Ocean Viking was immobilized. "Why wasn't safety more of a concern to maritime authorities when, earlier this month, the Ocean Viking had to wait 11 days for a port to be assigned?" The Ocean Viking resumed rescue operations on June 22 after a three-month halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 23, 2020 10:30 UTC