08/11/2022 (Agence Europe) – On Monday, 7 November, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and 20 civil society organisations called on Italy, Malta, Member States, and the European Commission to “immediately assign a place of safety and allow for the immediate disembarkation of all survivors currently onboard” the Ocean Viking, Geo Barents, Humanity 1, and Rise Above rescue ships in the central Mediterranean. “Some of the survivors were taken on board more than 17 days ago”, writes SOS Méditerranée. “Malta’s silence and Italy’s general political move to delay the disembarkation of survivors is prolonging the suffering of people in search of safety.” Questioned once more [on the matter] on 8 November, the European Commission reiterated that it is not responsible for designating a safe port but that it can help Member States relocate people rescued at sea via the voluntary solidarity mechanism that was approved this past June. Rome has agreed, at this stage, to disembark 357 migrants but refuses to disembark 215 others. (SP)