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Italy Detains Sea‑Watch 5 for 20 Days, Fines NGO €10,000 After Port Dispute

The move enforces a decree that orders rescue ships to sail to a government-assigned port.

Die NGO Sea-Watch bei einer Rettungsaktion im vergangenen Jahr
Das Bild zeigt das Schiff „Sea-Watch 5“, das regelmäßig Migranten nach Europa schifft. Vor allem Italien wird immer wieder angesteuert.
Italien legt „Sea-Watch“-Schiff nach Streit um Zielhafen für 20 Tage still.

Overview

  • Sea-Watch 5, which was detained Monday, received a 20-day sailing ban and a €10,000 fine from Italian authorities.
  • Officials opened the case after a mid-March rescue of 93 to about 100 people and a clash over where the ship should disembark.
  • Italy assigned the far-northern port of Marina di Carrara, more than 1,100 kilometers from the rescue site, while the captain chose the closer port of Trapani in Sicily.
  • Sea-Watch says the crew refused to liaise with Libyan militias because they return people to abusive detention, citing international rescue and human rights duties.
  • The action rests on the Piantedosi decree, used repeatedly since 2023 to detain NGO ships, as the UN migration agency reports more than 800 people dead or missing on the Mediterranean this year.