[03/06/07 15:00] Following last week's tragic events on the Mediterranean sea, in which several groups of irregular migrants were denied assistance for days, and over 50 people of mostly Eritrean origin have disappeared, the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights has said the following:
"European governments will need to further strengthen coordination and cooperation in rescue operations along the Mediterranean coast, and all governments should take seriously their individual responsibility for humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants," Thomas Hammarberg said.
"My office is grateful for the swift humanitarian response by Italian and Spanish crews and would hereby urge the Maltese authorities to soften their stance on providing assistance to irregular migrants whose lives are in danger. Support to people in distress and in dire need of assistance should always be a first priority," the Commissioner said.