Italy’s Strict Migrant Rescue Policies Force MSF to Suspend Operations

Italy’s strict counter-migration policies have forced the migrant rescue vessel Geo Barents, operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), to leave the Central Mediterranean route. MSF and other NGOs have been conducting rescue operations in this area for years, aiming to reduce fatalities and save migrants from abuse in Libyan detention centers. However, Italy views these NGOs as facilitators of migration due to the hundreds of foreign nationals they bring to Italian shores with each rescue.

In January 2023, Italy passed a controversial counter-migration law requiring rescue vessels like Geo Barents to head to port immediately after each rescue, preventing them from conducting further rescues nearby. The law also mandates disembarkation at distant ports, forcing vessels to spend days traveling from the Libyan EEZ to northern Italy. Violations can result in fines up to $50,000 and vessel impoundment, with Italy rigorously enforcing these measures and detaining rescue vessels for extended periods.

As a result of Italy’s stringent laws and repeated detentions, MSF announced that Geo Barents will have to withdraw from its at-sea rescue mission. The vessel has been detained four times in the past two years, spending a total of 160 days in port and a significant amount of time transiting to distant Italian ports. Despite rescuing thousands of people, MSF has suspended operations due to the impracticality of operating under Italian regulations.

Juan Matias Gil, MSF’s search and rescue representative, emphasized the challenges faced by humanitarian vessels under Italy’s laws, stating that the rescue capacity is underutilized and undermined. While MSF hopes to return to its mission in the future, the current circumstances make it untenable to continue operating Geo Barents.

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