An NGO vessel that rescued a group of distressed migrants last week is stranded at sea once again as the Maltese and Italian authorities insist it is not their responsibility to help coordinate the disembarkation.
Sea-Watch 3 rescued 47 migrants last Saturday in the waters between Malta and Libya, however days later they remain without a safe port where to disembark their “guests”.  The rescue took place about 50 kilometres off the coast of Tripoli. 
A spokesman for the NGO on Monday told Times of Malta that while they had made contact with the Maltese and Italian authorities, both were adamant that the vessel should instead reach out to their Libyan counterparts as they were the competent rescue coordinating authority.  
The spokesman said repeated efforts to contact the Libyan coast guard and other Libyan authorities in recent days had proven unsuccessful as they remained unresponsive. 
And, even if the NGO heard back from the Libyan authorities, they would not be prepared to disembark the migrants in Libyan as the country did not meet the international standards of a safe port.  

“If the Libyan authorities direct us to a safe port then yes we will follow those…