Sea Watch 5 vessel suspended for 45 days: the Ministry of the Interior's reasons
The Italian Ministry of the Interior has announced a 45-day suspension for the humanitarian vessel Sea Watch 5. The measure was confirmed by Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who accused the non-governmental organization of violating international regulations and the procedures established by Italian authorities during recent rescue operations in the Mediterranean.
According to reports from the Interior Ministry, the ship allegedly ignored instructions provided by the Coast Guard during a rescue operation. Authorities claim that the crew's behavior created potentially dangerous situations, failing to respect the coordination required for search and rescue operations at sea.
Sea Watch, for its part, has rejected the accusations, calling the suspension a political measure that severely limits the ability to save human lives in the most dangerous stretch of sea in the world. The organization has announced its intention to appeal against the administrative detention, maintaining that it has always acted in full compliance with international maritime law.
This episode is part of the broader Italian political debate on the management of migration flows and the role of NGOs in the Mediterranean. The government continues to insist on the need for stricter rules for private ships operating at sea, while humanitarian organizations call for greater freedom of action to prevent shipwrecks.
The suspension of the Sea Watch 5 will have a direct impact on monitoring activities in the central Mediterranean over the coming weeks. It will now be the task of the competent authorities to evaluate the appeal filed by the NGO and verify whether the procedures followed during the last rescue were indeed irregular.