Spanish NGO Open Arms said Wednesday that its search-and-rescue ship may enter Italian waters if it needs to after rescuing 120 people off Libya.
Under a new decree approved by parliament this week, the commanders of ships who rescue people at sea and take them into Italian waters without permission face fines of up to one million euros and the impoundment of the vessel.
The Open Arms ship has been waiting six days to be assigned a port of safety to dock at. "We will enter Italy if we have serious problems in board," Open Arms Founder Oscar Camps told Catalunya Radio. Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who has spearheaded the Italian government's tough stance of denying NGO-run migrant-rescue ships access to Italian ports, replied soon after Camps spoke.
"They have had more than enough time to get to Spain, the country that gave the ship its flag," Salvini said.
"But perhaps those gents only want a political provocation.
"I remind them that Italy's territorial waters are closed and we are ready to seize the ship".
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