Amnesty calls for release of rescue ships confined to Catalan and Basque ports

Amnesty International (AI) has called on the Spanish government to take steps to allow two vessels confined to the ports of Barcelona and Pasaia (in the Basque Country) to continue their work of rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea "as soon as possible."

The Open Arms, in Barcelona, and the Aita Mari, in Pasaia, have been prevented from setting sail for two months, and the NGO has reminded the Spanish government that there are only a few weeks until the deadline for resolving the issue keeping the ships in port.

"The most direct consequence is that right now they could be avoiding many deaths, and the solution is clear: allowing these vessels to leave port, and remembering that saving lives is not a crime," said Esteban Beltrán, director of AI in Spain.