An Italian judge in Catania upheld Tuesday the seizure of Proactiva Open Arms ship, but dropped the most serious charges against the Spanish NGO that operates the ship, which is involvement in the smuggling of migrants.

The Italian media outlet ANSA reported that the judge ruled that the Proactiva Open Arms ship will remain under detention at the Sicilian port of Pozzallo, saying “he did not have the authority to make any further decisions.”

The judge added “there was a possible case for aiding illegal migration,” but rejected allegations of criminal association.

The case documents will be transferred to Ragusa prosecutors, ANSA quoted sources as saying.

Meanwhile, the operation officer at Proactiva Open Arms, Gerard Canals, said he is not afraid of jail with some reports claiming he, along with the captain of the ship, may face 15 year prison sentences and millions of euros in fines.

"I may go to prison but I am not really worried because we did nothing wrong," he told EUobserver online newspaper.

The ship was seized by Italian Coast Guard after landing in Pozzallo on March 18 with 215 illegal migrants on board. The ship refused to hand the migrants over to Libya Coast Guard.

You May Also Like:</s>MILAN — Earlier this month, a ship patrolling the central Mediterranean on a search-and-rescue mission saved 117 migrants — including a 3-month-old baby in urgent need of medical attention — and brought them to Sicily. For that act, the two leaders of the ship’s crew are now facing as much as five years in jail and potential fines of more than 1 million euros ($1.2 million).

On Tuesday, Judge Nunzio Sarpietro ruled that Marc Reig Creus, the ship's captain, and Ana Isabel Montes Mier, the head of mission aboard the vessel, will stand trial on charges of aiding illegal immigration. On top of jail time, aiding illegal immigration can be punishable with a fine of up to 15,000 euros (or $18,000) for each migrant illegally transported.

The rescue operation took place March 15 in international waters, 73 miles north of Libya. After the ship, operated by the Spanish nongovernmental organization Proactiva Open Arms, picked up the migrants, it was approached by a vessel from Libya’s coast guard. The Libyans demanded that the rescuers hand the migrants over to them under the terms of agreement between Italy and Libya signed last year.

That deal tasked the Libyan coast guard with performing search-and-rescue operations and bringing migrants to detention centers in Libya rather than Italy. At the same time, the Italian government introduced a “code of conduct” requiring NGOs to cooperate with Libyan authorities.

But, as both human rights groups and media outlets have documented, abuse of migrants is rife in Libya. “Libya, the biggest jumping-off point for migrants trying to reach Europe, is now home to a thriving trade in humans,” wrote The Washington Post's Sudarsan Raghavan last year. “Unable to pay exorbitant smuggling fees or swindled by traffickers, some of the world’s most desperate people are being held as slaves, tortured or forced into prostitution.”

Most NGOs have stopped their search-and-rescue missions in the central Mediterranean rather than return migrants to Libya or risk crippling penalties; Proactiva Open Arms was one of only two groups still rescuing migrants from the sea. And when the Libyan coast guard demanded custody of the rescued migrants March 15, the crew of the group's ship refused.

Instead, the ship headed toward Italy. On March 17, it docked in the Sicilian town of Pozzallo. The following day, local prosecutor Carmelo Zuccaro accused Proactiva Open Arms of aiding illegal immigration and had the ship confiscated. On Monday, he ordered the crew’s cellphones confiscated and, according to local newspaper La Sicilia, also charged Reig and Montes with organized crime, which carries up to 15 years in prison. Sarpietro, the judge, rejected that charge.

Proactiva Open Arms maintains that the Italian government's code of conduct is not legally binding. “There is no law that could force us to hand human beings to Libyan authorities in international waters, especially since we have reason to fear that they will be abused,” the group's spokesman, Riccardo Gatti, said to The Post. The prosecutor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

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In once-welcoming Italy, the tide turns against migrants</s>The Spanish group whose migrant rescue boat has been impounded by the Italian authorities hit out Thursday at what it called a deliberate campaign to ensure there were no independent witnesses to how refugees are treated while trying to flee from Libya to Italy.

"Proactiva Open Arms is the new target of a clear institutional, political and media campaign that wants to keep away witnesses who could denounce human rights violations in the Mediterranean," founder Oscar Camps told a news conference.

The Proactiva Open Arms group, which has saved more than 5,000 migrants since the start of 2017, had its boat impounded at the port of Pozzallo in Sicily, where it arrived on Saturday with more than 200 people rescued off the coast of Libya.

The non governmental group had refused to hand the migrants over to the Libyan coastguard, despite warnings from Rome and what the NGO claimed were death threats from the Libyans.

The prosecutor's office in Catania in eastern Sicily has opened an investigation into the NGO and three of its leaders for criminal conspiracy to promote illegal immigration.

Nevertheless, Camps argued that returning the migrants to Libya, where the situation is chaotic and human rights violations are common, "would mean sending them back to the hell they have fled."

The NGO's legal adviser, Jaime Rodrigo, an expert in marine law, said the legal justification for impounding the boat was "non-existant".

"It is possible that the boat will be held for a very long time, because the seizure can last as long as the procedure, and we know how long the procedures are," he said.

The boat is currently the NGO's only craft in operation and its seizure means Proactiva Open Arms, which is facing financial difficulties, cannot carry out any more rescue operations.

"We are flies and they're using cannons to fire at us," Camps said, calling for private donations and support from institutions.

Italy is the main entry point for migrants arriving in Europe across the Mediterranean.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as of March 25, more than 6,100 migrants had reached Italian shores since the beginning of the year and 359 have died.

In 2017, the number of arrivals in Italy was close to 22,000, with 727 deaths.</s>Migrant rescue ship Proactiva Open Arms was seized and is now being held in the port of Pozzallo in southern Sicily, because its crew refused to hand over 218 refugees to the Libyan coastguard. Those helping migrants are often faced with criminal charges for facilitating illegal immigration. Is solidarity really a crime in Europe?</s>ROME: More than 20 African migrants were missing and feared drowned Tuesday after scores of people seeking to reach Italy were rescued from unseaworthy boats off the Libyan coast, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday.

A Cypriot merchant ship picked up 72 migrants in international waters on Saturday, 30 of whom had left Libya on a wooden boat and 42 others from a rubber dinghy.

They were then handed over to the Aquarius humanitarian ship chartered by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The IOM said that after arriving at the port of Pozzallo in Sicily on Tuesday, the survivors from the first group told them that 21 people travelling with them had been lost at sea.

"People fell in the water when people panicked overnight and the boat almost capsized," a young Gambian migrant told SOS Mediterranee.

"There were five women on board, four drowned, one of whom was a pregnant woman. My brother died."

Those in the second group said that 90 people were rescued by the Libyan coastguard and taken back to Libya.

"We do not know exactly how it happened but families have been separated and we are trying to see how to bring them back together," Flavio Di Giacomo, spokesman for IOM in Italy, told AFP.

Italy's interior ministry said 5,300 migrants have arrived in the country this year, 66 percent fewer than over the same period of 2017.

That follows a sharp decline since last summer after a controversial agreement was struck with Libya that has drawn fierce criticism due to the often dire conditions migrants face when returned to the north African country.

At least 337 migrants have died or disappeared off the coast of Libya since the beginning of the year, the IOM said.</s>Catania, March 27 - A migrant search-and-rescue ship run by Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms is set to remain under sequester at the Sicilian port of Pozzallo, a judge in Catania ruled on Tuesday. The vessel was sequestered after landing in Pozzallo on March 18 having saved 215 migrants in the southern Mediterranean. The preliminary investigations judge upheld the prosecutors' request for the ship to remain confiscated. But he said he did not have the authority to make any further decisions, having rejected allegations of criminal association but saying there was a possible case for aiding illegal migration. The case documents will be transferred to Ragusa prosecutors, the sources said.</s>What to do when someone has a convulsive epileptic seizure

Spokeswomen for the Epilepsy Foundation of Louisiana explain what happens during an epileptic seizure and what to do when someone has a convulsive seizure.</s>As a unique alternative to the Italian mainland, Sicily’s points of interest range from vast, archaeological sites to postcard-worthy beaches. Seven of Italy’s 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the most of any country) are found in Sicily. It’s a place steeped in history that has managed to preserve its cultural relevance while also adapting to the modern age.

A gem of the Mediterranean, these are some of the best things to see and do in Sicily.

Full of stunning ruins and archaeological attractions, Syracuse is often considered the best of Sicily. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the historic city center — Ortygia — is full of culture, nightlife and a bustling food market.

Don’t miss the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, which includes a Greek amphitheatre from the 5th century BC, where performances are still held (due to its excellent acoustics). Ancient finds from around Syracuse can also be found in the Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi, one of the most important archaeological museums in all of Italy.

Visit historic cathedrals and churches, gazing upon detailed frescoes and mosaics.Photo Credit: Getty Images

Located in the center of the island, you’ll find gorgeous religious art and artifacts in the Piazza Armerina. Tours starting at the Domus Artis (a local arts organization) plot a route through the city, stopping at three notable churches used by knights and other religious pilgrims during Medieval times.

The city boasts a handful of other cathedrals and churches from the era, decorated with well-preserved mosaics and frescoes. Some of the most impressive mosaics lie within the walls of The Roman Villa of the Casale, a large historic complex which includes the remains of an ancient villa and public bath house.

Sit in an ancient Roman theatre and breathe in the history of the dramatic arts.Photo Credit: Getty Images

With breathtaking views of Mt. Etna, Sicily’s active volcano, Taormina has been a highly sought after tourist destination for centuries. The city’s proximity to the coast and access to beautiful sandy beaches also provides many more hotel and resort options than other parts of the island. As a result, Taormina has an active bar, restaurant and nightlife scene.

Although it’s a very small section of the island, the city has a high concentration of attractions and things to do on your Sicily vacation. Ancient Roman theatres, landscaped gardens, Gothic palaces, medieval castles and historic churches are all found within a five mile radius.</s>CHENNAI: Indian Coast Guard Ship Bhikhaiji Cama, the fourth ship in Priyadarshini class of Fast Patrol Vessels, bid adieu on Tuesday after serving the nation for 20 years.The vessel was decommissioned at a traditional ceremony held at Chennai Port presided over by Inspector-General Rajan Bargotra, Commander, Coast Guard Region East.

The occasion was also graced by various military and civil dignitaries besides the previous Commanding Officers and crew of the vessel.The vessel was commissioned into Indian Coast Guard on September 24, 1997 by Lt General Ravi Eipe, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command. The ship has the honour of serving two Coast Guard Regions since commissioning. It was re-based to Andaman and Nicobar region.

During her lifespan, ICGS Bhikhaiji Cama sailed for 2,586 days and has covered a total distance of 2,46,937 nautical miles. She participated in various missions and saved 85 lives in eight search and rescue operations, apprehended 10 foreign fishing vessels and 131 crew responsible for poaching in Indian waters and evacuated 137 personnel during Tsunami relief operations.

During the ceremony, an impressive Guard of Honour was held and with sunset, the Coast Guard Ensign was hauled down on the ship for the last time. Soon after “Decommissioning Pennant” which is equal to the ship’s length was lowered. Commandant JG Varun Upadhya, the Commanding Officer of the ship supervised the final ceremony and made the final decommissioning report.</s>ROME (CNN) — A boat carrying as many as 500 people capsized and caught fire off the Italian island of Lampedusa, the nation’s coast guard told CNN on Thursday.

The official death toll stood at 93 — down one from earlier reports — but that did not include an estimated 20 newly discovered bodies that remain in the water, the coast guard said.

At least 151 people had been rescued in the ongoing operation, the coast guard said.

Lampedusa, not far from Sicily and the closest Italian island to Africa, has become a destination for tens of thousands of refugees seeking to enter European Union countries — and such deadly shipwrecks are all too common.

The latest boat to sink is thought to have been carrying up to 500 people. Those aboard include Eritreans, Somalis and Ghanaians, the coast guard said, and the boat is believed to have launched from Libya’s coast.

CNN forecasters said there were some gusting winds and showers Thursday morning in the region but no weather conditions significant enough to be likely to sink a boat.

According to Italian media reports, the vessel sank near Rabbit Beach, also known as Rabbit Island, which was recently voted one of the best beaches in the world by Trip Advisor.

The survivors are being taken to Lampedusa’s main port, where authorities have the facilities to help them.

The bodies of those who didn’t make it are also being moved there. Images from the scene showed some lined up in body bags on a quayside.

The head of the U.N. refugee agency, Antonio Guterres, praised the efforts of the Italian coast guard but said he was “dismayed at the rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea.”

Another 13 men drowned off Italy’s southern coast Monday when they attempted to swim ashore, the U.N agency said in a statement.

It is working with countries in the region to find “effective alternatives” so people don’t risk their lives trying to make perilous journeys by sea, it said.
A judge in Catania, Italy, upholds the seizure of a Proactiva Open Arms ship that brought migrants to Sicily after refusing to hand them over to the Libyan Coast Guard.