Doctors Without Borders Halts Mediterranean Rescue Operations Over Italian Policies

The NGO cites restrictive Italian laws and sanctions as making their current rescue model unsustainable, but pledges to return with revised operations.

• Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has suspended its Mediterranean rescue missions, citing Italian laws that hinder effective operations.
• The Geo Barents vessel, used by MSF since 2021, has rescued over 12,600 people but faced significant sanctions and operational restrictions from Italian authorities.
• New Italian policies mandate rescue vessels to return to port after a single rescue, even if they have the capacity to save more lives, and often direct them to distant northern ports.
• The Italian government, under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has intensified measures against NGO rescue ships, claiming they encourage migration, a claim disputed by experts.
• MSF has pledged to evaluate new operational models and remains committed to addressing the dangers of the Central Mediterranean, where over 31,000 people have died or gone missing since 2014.

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Sky News Ouest-France