While the Open Arms trial in Palermo places Transport Minister Matteo Salvini on the defendants' bench, in Trapani, the Coast Guard under Salvini’s jurisdiction has administratively detained the Mare Jonio, the only ship in the Italian civilian fleet managed by Mediterranea Saving Humans, a civil party in the trial.
This marks the first time an NGO must disembark all its rescue equipment—life jackets, dinghies, first aid kits—to resume navigation. This decision seemingly ends any attempt at sea rescue just as the central Mediterranean remains one of the world's deadliest migration routes.
This paradoxical situation has also garnered the support of Nicola Fratoianni of the Green and Left Alliance. "The detention of the Mare Jonio and the order not to save lives is truly abhorrent. They are persecuting those who save human beings, while in courtrooms, the cynical and absurd rules of [officials] Piantedosi and his associate Salvini are consistently dismantled because they violate the laws," Fratoianni stated.
What Happened
In the port of Trapani, after three scheduled inspections on Tuesday, September 17, to renew the ship’s certifications, a fourth "random" inspection was added. "This was an extraordinary inspection, neither due nor justified, conducted by the General Command of the Port Authorities on the orders of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport under Minister Matteo Salvini," explained Luca Casarini, head of mission at Mediterranea Saving Humans.
The random inspection lasted over ten hours and was conducted by the Coast Guard’s sixth division, known as the "anti-NGO squad," led by Lieutenant Commander Andrea Zaffagnini. Despite the ship just passing the Rina controls, promoting it as "particularly equipped for rescue service," an administrative detention was issued for Mare Jonio.
Navigating Without Rescuing: An Unprecedented Paradox
Casarini highlighted the absurdity of the measure: "We are told we can navigate, but without any means of rescue. It's the first time a ship has been asked not to carry rescue tools. Historically, the directive has always been to increase safety devices, not remove them."
According to Casarini, this action reverses the fundamental principle of international maritime law, which mandates the duty to assist anyone in danger at sea. "We have recorded over 1,500 confirmed deaths from January to today in the Mediterranean, among women, men, and children. Instead of counting how many landings have decreased, we should be counting the lives lost due to shipwrecks and failures to rescue."
A Political Attack Disguised as a Technical Check
Casarini then shifted focus to the political context of this decision: "This action was carried out by the notorious Anti-NGO Squad, led by Lieutenant Commander Andrea Zaffagnini, whom we know well in the world of civil rescue. It seems the goal is to stop our missions at all costs."
The measure, Casarini added, cannot be overlooked in the context of the ongoing trial against Matteo Salvini in the Open Arms case, in which Mediterranea Saving Humans is a civil party: "It’s no coincidence that this is happening while we are a civil party in a trial against Salvini. We have informed our lawyers to bring these facts to the attention of the Palermo court. The defendant is also the minister who ordered these inspections."
Legal Battle and Determination to Continue Missions
Casarini recalled that Mediterranea had already taken legal action against similar attempts to stop them: "We are already in litigation with the Lazio Regional Administrative Court over a previous attempt to stop us. Yet, despite a pending appeal, the Ministry has reissued the same measure, this time in the form of an order."
Despite these challenges, Casarini reaffirmed his organization’s determination not to stop: "We continue our work calmly, without fear. We are preparing for the next mission and will return to sea very soon. No one will stop us."
The Rescue War Continues
As the League attacks the mayor of Trapani for granting honorary citizenship to other NGOs, the Mare Jonio risks being sidelined. But Casarini remains undeterred: "Salvini should resign himself to the fact that there will always be someone at sea responding to calls for help." The battle for sea rescue is far from over.
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