Overcrowding not a reason to detain migrant rescue ships, says ECJ
Euronews says Overcrowding cannot be used as a reason to impound search and rescue ships, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said in a ruling on Monday.
The judgment came after two Sea Watch ships were subject to inspection in Italy in the summer of 2020.
The humanitarian organisation’s vessels were impounded on the grounds that they were “not certified in respect of search and rescue activities at sea” and had taken more people on board than they “were authorised to accommodate”.
The ECJ ruling on Monday said that people on board due to a rescue operation cannot be taken into account when port authorities verify if safety rules were complied with.