Relief as more than 800 migrants rescued at sea disembark in Italy

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Some of the migrants raised their arms in celebration and cheered as the red ship pulled into the port of Trapani in western Sicily. Others sat with their legs dangling over the side, looking tired and drawn.

The Sea Eye 4 was already carrying nearly 400 people who had been pulled to safety at sea when it raced to the rescue of another 400 people crowded onto a wooden boat on Thursday.

It was given permission to dock just hours after a fellow charity delivered urgently needed relief supplies, including food and blankets, and after repeated appeals for help, the German NGO Sea Eye told AFP.

ðŸ"´ The crews of #SEAEYE4 and #RISEABOVE have been working together tirelessly since the early morning hours. Together, the crews of our ships from Sea-Eye and @SEENOTRETTUNG were able to save 325 lives in 5 rescue operations today. 153 children were among the survivors. pic.twitter.com/GPHC3pYnLM

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After coronavirus tests, the adults without health problems were to be placed on quarantine ships.

The UN's human rights agency said on Twitter it was "relieved that once again Italy has welcomed people whose lives were in danger at sea, and who were saved by the fundamental work of NGOs".

Italy is one of the main points of entry into Europe for migrants sailing mainly from Libya and Tunisia, with tens of thousands of people seeking to cross the central Mediterranean each year.

The Sea Eye ship with 800 people on board arrives in Italy. Source: LaPresse

Nearly 55,000 migrants have disembarked in Italy this year, compared with just under 30,000 last year, according to interior ministry figures.

Unlike between 2014 and 2017, when more than 90 per cent of migrants landing in Italy had set off from Libya, the arrivals are now "well distributed" between Libya and Tunisia, according to Matteo Villa from the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI).

Last night, #OceanViking mobilised to assist ~400 people in distress 10 hours from her position. People were recovered by #SeaEye4 before our arrival on scene. We have assisted #SeaEye4 & over 800 survivors onboard their ship with extra food supplies last night and this morning. pic.twitter.com/CVGbC2lCqK

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More than 70 per cent of those setting off from Tunisia are Tunisian, while most people attempting the perilous crossing from Libya are Bangladeshis who had been in the crisis-torn country for some time, he said.

The Ocean Viking, a charity vessel run by SOS Mediterranee, was meanwhile Sunday still looking for a port after rescuing more than 300 people.

"As weather conditions deteriorate, the medical team expects an increase in health problems among the 306 castaways still on board," SOS Mediterranee said on Twitter.

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