AFTER six months held in port while more than 700 preventable refugee deaths took place, a charity refugee-rescue ship is finally putting to sea.

SOS Mediterranee announced today that its rescue ship the Ocean Viking had left Marseille and was heading for the Libyan search-and-rescue zone.

The Italian coastguard placed the vessel under “administrative detention” on July 22 following its rescue of 181 refugees and the ship was only allowed to leave port in Sicily on December 21, when it headed back to France to refuel and resupply.

“While we are on our way back to the central Mediterranean for the first time in months, we all have in mind what a dreadful year 2020 has been for people caught in circles of abuse in Libya and those attempting to flee by sea,” SOS Mediterranee co-founder and vice-president Sophie Beau said. “With the Covid-19 pandemic came a renewed ‘closure’ of ports while people continued having to risk their lives at sea to reach safety.

“Merchant ships carrying out their duty to rescue were stranded at sea for weeks while responsible authorities refused to provide a solution to disembark rescued people.

“In June, the Ocean Viking — left without instructions for days — had to declare a state of emergency on board when the uncertainty and the lack of perspective pushed survivors past their breaking point.

“Repeated lengthy delays from maritime authorities in rescuing people in acute distress as well as organised ‘pushbacks’ of survivors to Libya occurred in breach of international law.”

Over 11,000 people were forcibly returned to Libya and its detention centres last year. Six ships belonging to non-governmental organisations have been blocked in a systematic manner, leaving a deadly black hole in the central Mediterranean.

“At least 779 women, men and children died or went missing — counting only the shipwrecks we know of — with barely any witnesses. This is disgraceful and needs to come to an end.

“The Ocean Viking is setting sail with a team prepared for the worst, having to face life-and-death situations in the middle of the open sea. Unnecessary rescue delays and prolonged standoffs at sea put human lives at risk.

“A return to respect for maritime law and genuine European solidarity with coastal states is the only way to prevent more tragedies.”