Sea-Watch3 captain Carola Rackete has regained her freedom after a judge in the Sicilian city of Agrigento on Tuesday rejected a request from prosecutors to keep her under house arrest. Rackete, a 31-year-old from Germany, forced a ban Saturday to land 40 migrants on the island of Lampedusa saying she was afraid some might commit suicide after being at sea for 17 days following a rescue off Libya.
Rackete, who is under investigation for aiding illegal immigration, allegedly hit a finance police vessel during the operation.
She said she could not avoid it and had not rammed deliberately.
Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who has brought in a tough policy of closing Italy's ports to NGO-run search-and-rescue ships, blasted the decision.
"According to the Italian judiciary, ignoring the law and ramming a finance police boat is not sufficient to go to jail," the League party leader said.
"No problem: a provision is ready to send her back to her country because she is a danger to national security". The captain has become a hero to those opposed to Salvini's policy and a villain to those who support it.
The Sea-Watch3 is run by the German migrant rescue NGO Sea-Watch and flies a Dutch flag.
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