Hundreds of migrants in limbo as Italy closes ports to NGOs

By COLLEEN BARRY and EMILY SCHULTHEIS
Associated Press

MILAN (AP) — Two German-run migrant rescue ships carrying nearly 300 rescued people are waiting off the eastern coast of Sicily.  The Humanity 1 has received permission to disembark the most vulnerable migrants on Saturday while the Rise Above’s request for a safe port have gone unanswered despite “critical” conditions on board. The situation describes the chaos and uncertainty resulting from the decision by Italy’s far-right-led government to close its ports to humanitarian rescue ships. More than 1,000 rescued migrants were aboard four ships run by European charity organizations stuck in the Mediterranean. Some of the ships have people onboard who were rescued up to two weeks ago amid deteriorating conditions on board.