Italy: Proactiva Open Arms rescue ship crew warn of 'crisis' on board

W/S Proactiva Open Arms founder Oscar Camps and spokesperson Riccardo Gatti in conversation portside, Lampedusa
SOT, Riccardo Gatti, Proactiva Open Arms spokesperson (Italian): "Now we are in crisis. We are very much in crisis. We are talking to the MRCC [Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre] to proceed with the most serious evacuations. Unfortunately, every evacuation, every small change on board creates an adverse, uncontrollable reaction by people on board precisely because it is a direct consequence of their level of psychophysical and psychological stress."
M/S Gatti speaking to journalist
SOT, Riccardo Gatti, Proactiva Open Arms spokesperson (Italian): "What is taking longer are not the appeals or counter-appeals. We face a political intention to create this situation. What has been implemented since day one is an institutional abuse. It is a violation of the conventions and obligations of maritime law. Obviously this is the situation. It is not linked to administrative events."
C/U Gatti speaking to journalist
M/S Gatti speaking to journalist
W/S Camps speaking to journalists
M/S Oscar Camps
SOT, Oscar Camps, Proactiva Open Arms founder (Spanish): "Well, it's terrible. Every day that goes by, every minute is a further complication, not only medical but also psychologically. The fact that they have suffered so much and been in overcrowded conditions like in Libya and which they continue to be in at present, indeed there are only 180msq for 130 people, with only two toilets. There's been a lot of sun and movement. Nerves are already on edge and there are a lot of problems. There have been threats, fighting and suicide attempts. The conditions are very serious and we are hoping that the situation will be resolved and they allow us to disembark everyone from the boat."
C/U Camps -shirt
SOT, Oscar Camps, Proactiva Open Arms founder (Spanish): "Well, we have exhausted all administrative and legal options, on the one hand, before proceeding to inform and request medical evacuations. That's on the one hand. On the other, we have opened talks with [Emmanuel] Macron, [Angela] Merkel and also Pedro Sanchez. We have been asking them to trigger a mechanism at a European Commission to co-ordinate the efforts of countries who are willing to be recipient countries for those on board. We are aware that this is underway and there are countries who made offers, six at least. At the same time as the European Union is working towards a solution, the Italian justice system has also ruled that there are people on board who need medical assistance. As for the others, they are not letting anyone disembark. The situation is unsustainable. We have also informed, in writing, Merkel, also Macron, the Italian government, also the Spanish government and the president of the European Parliament, that not for one day more can we be held responsible for what happens on board, it's dangerous, not only for the migrants but also the crew."
M/S Camps
SCRIPT
Proactiva Open Arms leadership warned of a "crisis" with conditions deteriorating on board the migrant rescue ship docked at the island of Lampedusa on Friday.
Founder Oscar Camps and chief spokesperson Riccardo Gatti gave separate interviews portside detailing the situation for 138 migrants still on board and a rumoured European-wide offer of assistance.
"Every day that goes by, every minute is a further complication, not only medical but also psychologically," said Camps, who set up the Spanish non-profit group in 2015.
"Nerves are already on edge and there are a lot of problems. There have been threats, fighting and suicide attempts," he added.
Gatti, who heads operations in Italy, described the situation as a "crisis". He blamed the Italian government for deliberating seeking this outcome.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini had prevented the ship from docking in Italy, a stand-off which only ended yesterday when judges ruled that those on board in need of medical assistance would be allowed to disembark.
Six European countries have reportedly offered to take in the migrants, but the ship has yet to be offered port entry by any EU member states.
Camps confirmed Proactiva Open Arms had lobbied the European leaders and the Commission in Brussels to find a solution to the "unsustainable" situation.
"Not for one day more can we be held responsible for what happens on board, it's dangerous, not only for the migrants but also the crew," he concluded.