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NEU Senior Regional Support Officer
Plight over for the Ocean Viking's 182 refugees after landing in Italy
Children wave at a boat from aboard the Ocean Viking as it reaches the port of Messina, Italy, today

ONE hundred and eighty-two refugees finally disembarked from an NGO migrant rescue ship in Italy this morning after spending a week adrift at sea.

Over 200 refugees were fished out of the Mediterranean sea in three separate operations by the crew aboard the Ocean Viking, a ship operated by the French charities SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) last Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The Maltese authorities transferred 35 refugees the Ocean Viking had rescued from waters within its own search and rescue area on Friday but refused to take the remaining 182 people on board. 

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