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64 Migrants Head To Malta Aboard German Humanitarian Ship After Days-Long Diplomatic Stand-Off

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A humanitarian ship carrying 64 migrants is reportedly on its way to Malta after being caught in a diplomatic standoff in the Mediterranean Sea for days.

The German ship ‘Alan Kurdi’, named after the two-year-old Kurdish boy who drowned as his family tried to flee war-torn Syria, was unable to port in Italy following the strict demands the Italians asked of them.

Italian authorities have evacuated two mothers and two children from the ship, but said the other families would need to be split up if Italy was to accept the migrants.

The migrants refused being split up, and are now headed towards Malta as the nearest safe port. The Maltese government has not insisted on splitting up the migrant families.

Alan Kurdi 2

The German-registered ship Alan Kurdi

The asylum seekers have been left in cramped conditions on deck as stormy weather yesterday worsened the situation on board

A spokesperson for the German humanitarian organisation Sea-Eye, Carlotta Weibl, spoke about the situation they were facing on when they were stuck awaiting an end to a diplomatic row between Malta and Italy.

“We have no idea yet where we can disembark. Malta says we can’t enter their waters and we are unlikely to get permission from Italy,” she had said on Thursday.

For his part, Matteo Salvini, the Italian interior minister known for his anti-migration rhetoric, said the German ship should “go to Hamburg”.

“It’s a journey of three to four weeks (to Hamburg). We don’t have food and water, so it’s completely out of the question,” Weibl said.

Cover inset: AP

What do you think of the Alan Kurdi and its mission? Let us know in the comments below

READ NEXT: After Four Days At Sea And Multiple Rejections, The Migrant NGO Ship Aquarius Has Been Let Into Malta

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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