MILAN: At least 15 more migrants jumped into the sea on Tuesday from the Open Arms rescue ship in desperate bids to reach the shores of Italy after 19 days of being on the boat in deteriorating conditions as Italy refuses to open its ports.

Open Arms described the situation on board as “out of control” and “desperate.” After one migrant jumped ship early in the day and was rescued by the Italian coast guard, nine more launched themselves into the sea wearing orange life vests, followed by five more. All sought the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, a short distance away from the anchored ship.

A reporter with the Spanish public broadcaster TVE said the first jumper refused to return to the Open Arms and was brought to Lampedusa instead, prompting others to follow his lead. The reporter said those jumping were “desperate and going mad” after 19 days trapped on board.

Live video showed people wearing life vests floating in the sea, some in groups and some individually, with a coast guard vessel nearby and rubber dinghies trying to reach them.

Open Arms said the Italian coast guard rescued all 15 jumpers and brought them to Lampedusa, leaving 83 migrants on board in deteriorating psychological and hygienic conditions.

A spokeswoman for the charity, Laura Lanuza, said she heard from Open Arms crew members that “those who remain aboard are threatening with jumping as well.” The Open Arms captain previously informed Italian authorities that the crew of 17 can no longer control the situation on board, as frustrated migrants resort to fighting.

Italy’s hard-line interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has refused port access to the ship, even though six other European countries have agreed to take in the migrants, who were rescued at sea in early August of the coast of Libya.

Italy’s transport minister, Danilo Toninelli, said on social media that he has been in touch with Spanish officials to demand that “they do everything to stop the NGO.” He did not specify what he expects Spain to do, and Spain said it was awaiting clarification.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte announced last week that six nations Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Romania and Luxembourg had offered to take the migrants aboard Open Arms.

But in his post, Toninelli complained those countries were waiting until the migrants were on land “and then they will see.” While Spain has said it would open its ports to the Open Arms, the humanitarian group said the offer came too late and the voyage to Spain was too long for the migrants and the crew to face after so much time at sea.

The impasses with Italy’s refusal to allow migrant ships to dock started immediately after the populist coalition of League and 5-Star Movement took office last June. In the first, the Aquarius operated by two French groups made the long trip to Spain with 630 migrants after Madrid opened its ports.

But Spain, meanwhile, has changed its approach, saying that international, marine laws and EU regulations require that rescued people need to be taken to the closest and safest port. It also says that EU members need to find a long-lasting solution for dealing with migration that doesn’t rely so much on just the Mediterranean countries.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2019