More than 140 rejected migrants begin hunger strike in Italy

About 140 migrants who were not being allowed to disembark from an Italian coastguard boat in Sicily have started a hunger strike in protest.

According to Davide Faraone of the Democratic Party, “I have just heard from the Port Authority that there is tension aboard the #Diciotti ship and that migrants have started a hunger strike. As a result, visits aboard to express solidarity and verify conditions on the boat have been suspended for security reasons”.  

One hundred and ninety migrants were rescued more than a week ago by the Diciotti on Monday. Thirteen needing medical assistance were taken onshore while the remaining 177 were taken to Catania. Under pressure from humanitarian groups, Italy’s hardline Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini let 27 children disembark on Wednesday.

He said however that the remaining migrants would be kept aboard until other European Union nations take them in. It is the latest in a series of diplomatic spats over boats picking up migrants trying to reach European shores from northern Africa.