Sea Watch appeals to Human Rights court

(ANSA) - Strasbourg, June 24 - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) said Monday it has received a request from the migrant search-and-rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 for the ECHR to implement interim measures asking Italy to allow the vessel to disembark migrants. The ECHR sent a series of questions to both the Sea Watch 3 and the Italian government, the latter of which must respond by Monday afternoon. ECHR regulations allow it to ask Italy to adopt what are defined as urgent measures that "serve to prevent serious and irremediable violations of human rights". The Sea Watch 3 has been stuck in international waters south of Lampedusa since June 12 when it performed a rescue operation off the coast of Libya, and it currently has 43 migrants aboard.