Open Arms Migrants arrive in Cadiz

MIGRANTS rescued from a ship trapped in Italy in a political row have arrived in Cadiz.

The Spanish Naval ship Audaz has arrived in the port of San Roque (Cadiz) carrying the 15 migrants allocated to the country from the humanitarian vessel Open Arms.

The migrants include 14 men and one woman, all adults, from various parts of the African continent.

The Audaz arrived in Cadiz after being moored in front of the port of Pozallo (Sicily), bringing an end to the 20-day political crises this latest Open Arms rescue has caused.

The fifteen migrants who left the Audaz were taken into the Temporary Attention Centre for Foreigners (CATE) in Crinavis-San Roque by officers of the National Police and the Red Cross to be informed of their rights, including the right to apply for asylum as is procedure for all immigrants entering the country.

They will then be transferred after seven days to the Temporary Stay Center El Campano in Chiclana de la Frontera after they have formalised their asylum application if they wished to. 

Acting minister of Labour, Migration and Social Security, Magdalena Valerio, said that “normal protocols will be followed. First, these people will be received, their situation will be checked, an initial triage will be carried out and the pertinent sanitary controls will then be taken.”

It is thought that all 15 will apply for the right to stay in Spain, according to Valerio.

This release of the migrants onto Spanish soil marks an end to 20 days of uncertainty for the fate of the 163 on board the vessel.

It also coincides with the court order by the prosecutor of Agrigento (Sicily), Luigi Patronaggio to seize the vessel for breaching humanitarian and immigration laws.