The Italian authorities have banned the entry of their territorial waters to a ferry carrying 1,850 people Moroccan mostly Moroccans evacuated from Libya, which sought to refuel in Sicily, said Tuesday, March 15 an official Italian port. "The boat lies off our coast in international waters," said Antonio Giummo, an official port of Augusta, Sicily.
The Moroccan authorities have assured that this is not a problem with illegal immigration. "We are working on the administrative procedure with our Italian counterparts for the special permits. It's a simple administrative issue and procedure," said Morocco's ambassador to Italy, Hassan Abouyoub, radio Moroccan Private Radio Plus.
A source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to the that "it is a simple administrative matter." In Brussels, the European Commission asked the Italian authorities to verify whether persons eligible for refugee status were aboard the ferry, said Tuesday a spokesman.
"We are monitoring the situation closely and we remind States of the EU [...] to provide all necessary humanitarian assistance," said Marcin Grabiec during a press briefing. "So far, it does not seem to be an act of repression because the Italian authorities have not ordered the ferry back to its port of departure", but stressed the spokesman.
According to Italian media, the ferry Express Moroccan Mistral arrived in Tripoli from 1715 Moroccans, 39 Libyans and 82 other people from Algeria, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Syria, Sudan and Tunisia . The ship left Tripoli Sunday was chartered by the Moroccan government to repatriate its nationals fleeing Libya, according to media reports.
The Italian Interior Ministry was unable to give immediate information on this ferry. According to Ansa, the authorities have refused entry of the vessel in Italian waters because the department would consider not having "some evidence" on its passengers. Since the start of insurgency in Tunisia and Libya in mid-February, Italy is facing an influx of thousands of migrants who arrive mostly on the island of Lampedusa south of Sicily. 
The Moroccan authorities have assured that this is not a problem with illegal immigration. "We are working on the administrative procedure with our Italian counterparts for the special permits. It's a simple administrative issue and procedure," said Morocco's ambassador to Italy, Hassan Abouyoub, radio Moroccan Private Radio Plus.
A source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to the that "it is a simple administrative matter." In Brussels, the European Commission asked the Italian authorities to verify whether persons eligible for refugee status were aboard the ferry, said Tuesday a spokesman.
"We are monitoring the situation closely and we remind States of the EU [...] to provide all necessary humanitarian assistance," said Marcin Grabiec during a press briefing. "So far, it does not seem to be an act of repression because the Italian authorities have not ordered the ferry back to its port of departure", but stressed the spokesman.
According to Italian media, the ferry Express Moroccan Mistral arrived in Tripoli from 1715 Moroccans, 39 Libyans and 82 other people from Algeria, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Syria, Sudan and Tunisia . The ship left Tripoli Sunday was chartered by the Moroccan government to repatriate its nationals fleeing Libya, according to media reports.
The Italian Interior Ministry was unable to give immediate information on this ferry. According to Ansa, the authorities have refused entry of the vessel in Italian waters because the department would consider not having "some evidence" on its passengers. Since the start of insurgency in Tunisia and Libya in mid-February, Italy is facing an influx of thousands of migrants who arrive mostly on the island of Lampedusa south of Sicily.
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