OCEAN VIKING

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Crew and personnel unable to disembark ship in Augusta to receice assistance after migrant tested positive for tuberculosis

The 'Ocean Viking' after disembarking 87 migrants in Augusta on Aug 25, has remained anchored in pos. 37° 14' N 015° 12' E off the port as of Sep 1, on the instructions of the authorities, with 34 people, including 25 SOS Mediterranée and Red Cross staff and nine ship's crew members on board, who have been unable to disembark or receive the necessary assistance. During the disembarkation, an unaccompanied minorwas isolated by USMAF, the Italian health authorities responsible for sanitary checks upon arrival) and tested for tuberculosis (TB). The result was positive. The case had previously been identified by the onboard medical team. Isolation procedures were immediately initiated in accordance with the medical protocols. The patient has also been referred to the Italian health authorities for further medical treatment. As a result, Italian health authorities denied the 'Ocean Viking' "Free Practice" – a declaration that the ship is free of infectious diseases and a prerequisite for permitting the crew to disembark. The other rescued were taken to a temporary camp in the port of Augusta, where they will likely remain until the end of their quarantine period. Colleagues from the EUAA (European Asylum Agency) and the IRC (International Rescue Committee) were on site to provide support and exchange information. On Aug 27 at 11:45 a.m., Italian health personnel boarded the 'Ocean Viking' to administer the Mantoux test (tuberculin skin test) to all crew members. The results of the Mantoux test take 48 to 72 hours and was expected between Aug 29 and Aug 30. Individuals vaccinated with the BCG vaccine may test positive. USMAF has informed us that these individuals will undergo chest x-rays to rule out active infection.The lengthy procedure remained unclear and were not consistent with international medical standards for TB prevention and treatment. The infected was immediately isolated on board by the crew, contacts were minimized, and personal protective equipment was used throughout before being transferred to USMAF as planned. The Mantoux tests were performed less than 96 hours after initial exposure—a period during which infection is not yet detectable. International guidelines, such as the EU Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ESTC), indicated that skin tests immediately after exposure are medically meaningless, as the immune response only becomes detectable weeks later. Furthermore, the test was applied universally rather than based on actual risk: scientific evidence and guidelines from the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the ECDC demonstrate that relevant transmission requires prolonged, unprotected exposure – which was not the case in this case. According to WHO guidelines, isolation or quarantine is only justified for persons with active infectious tuberculosis or genuine high-risk contacts and must always be the least restrictive measure. The current detention therefore lacks both medical justification and an ethical basis. The crew and personnel were managing this situation in addition to the ongoing trauma following the attack by the Libyan Coast Guard. Their rapid disembarkation was described as essential to provide them with access to psychological support and ensure their transfer to an environment unrelated to the recent traumatic event.

Calls for consequences after potential fatal attack of so-called Libyan Coastguard on rescue ship

Shots fired at head height, minutes of shelling, this is how sea rescuer Lucille Guenier described the so-called Libyan Coastguard's attack on the "Ocean Viking" in Augusta on Aug 27: "With this attack, the violence in the Mediterranean has reached unprecedented levels. Their intention was to kill people", according to communications officer on board. She was calling on the EU to immediately end its cooperation with the so-called Libyan Coastguard. Luise Amtsbergm Green Party member of the German Bundestag, also called for consequences. The survivors had disembarked the rescue ship in Augusta on the evening of Aug 25. No one was injured. The ship remained stationary in port as of Aug 28.

EU intervened after so-called Libyan Coastguard fired on rescue ship

The EU has intervened in response to the Libyan attack on the 'Ocean Viking' and has contacted the relevant Libyan authorities regarding the incident to clarify the facts. It was now up to the relevant Libyan authorities to urgently shed light on what happened, said Markus Lammert, EU spokesperson for Home Affairs and Migration, on 'Aug 26, after the aid organization SOS Méditerranée jsf reported the shooting at the "Ocean Viking§ and also published photos of shell casings and shattered portholes. At the time of the incident, the "Ocean Viking" was carrying 87 rescued people – including nine unaccompanied minors – who had recently been brought to safety from a rubber dinghy off the Libyan coast. The "Ocean Viking" arrived with the migrants in the Sicilian port of Augusta on Aug 25 and remained stationary in port on Aug 27.