Rescue ship Ocean Viking at sea with 104 migrants & waiting for EU response

The humanitarian rescue ship Ocean Viking remains at sea with 104 migrants, a week after rescuing them off Libya and despite an EU plan to speed up the process of taking them in, AP said.

French charities SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders, which operate the ship, say they have requested permission to land in either Italy or Malta. However, SOS Mediterranee said on Friday that, so far, there has been no response.

The Ocean Viking had previously been offered Libya as a safe harbor, but refused to land there. According to SOS Mediterranee, “no port in Libya can be considered safe according to international law.”

Only seven EU countries have agreed to participate in a “fast-track” plan, which would screen migrants, relocate asylum seekers and, within four weeks, return those who don’t apply for or qualify for asylum.