This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
Published on July 5, 2020, a medical team sent by authorities in Pozzallo, Sicily, has assessed the health of migrants on the Ocean Viking ship operated by SOS Mediterranee.
The team found no major health issues and reported that tensions on the ship are being overcome, according to a ministry source.
However, the migrants will still need to undergo COVID-19 testing before being transferred to a quarantine ship in Porto Empedocle, Sicily.
The Ocean Viking has been waiting for permission from Italy or Malta to offload the migrants at a safe port, with tensions rising among the migrants as they become increasingly desperate to reach land.
More than 100,000 migrants attempted to cross the Mediterranean last year, with over 1,200 dying in the attempt, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
