The Diplomat. 14/08/2018
Pedro Sanchez’s Government considers that «Spain is not the safest port» to disembark 141 immigrants and refugees who go aboard the Aquarius, the rescue vessel operated by SOS Mediterranean and Doctors Without Borders, because it is not the closest, said yesterday government sources.
The ship is sailing in international waters between Italy and Malta. Half of those traveling in the Aquarius are minors, 67 of them unaccompanied, and come from countries such as Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Eritrea, Somalia, Morocco and Egypt.
Italy again rejected the landing of the Aquarius in any of its ports. The European Commission is in contact with several Member States of the European Union (EU) and has offered its «full diplomatic support» to solve the situation.
