‘Ocean Viking’ migrants enter EU

The Ocean Viking vessel which has been navigating in the Mediterranean for fortnight with migrants from Libyan coast on board will dock in Malta after six EU countries reached an agreement, France‘s interior minister said on August 23.

UPDATE: 356 survivors rescued in the #Mediterranean are now being transferred from the #OceanViking to #Malta on board a maltese military vessel.

After nearly 2 weeks stranded at sea, a coalition of #EU countries finally stepped up to grant them a place of #safety pic.twitter.com/xh5Nrf1foX

— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) August 23, 2019

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said France would receive 150 out of the 356 migrants from board of the Norwegian-flagged ship. He added Germany, Portugal, Romania, Luxembourg and Ireland were taking part in the agreement.

#Malta will transfer these persons to @Armed_Forces_MT vessels outside territorial waters, and will take them onshore. All #migrants will be relocated to other Member States: France, Germany, #Ireland, #Luxembourg, #Portugal and #Romania. None will remain in Malta -JM 2/2

— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) August 23, 2019

Ocean Viking, was stranded at sea for fortnight awaiting port access after being denied entry by Malta and requests to Italy did not receive any response.

Castaner annonce l’accueil de 150 migrants présents sur le bateau #OceanViking.
Il est ministre de l’Interieur : son devoir est de protéger nos frontières, pas d’aider les clandestins à les passer ! https://t.co/tRa77WxmII

— Nicolas Bay (@NicolasBay_) August 23, 2019

“Castaner announces the arrival of 150 migrants from the #OceanViking boat. He is Minister of the Interior: his duty is to protect our borders, not to help the illegals to cross them!” wrote Nicals Bay (France, RN), Member of European Parliament in his Twitter micro blog.