Pope Francis has appealed for European leaders to show “solidarity” with 49 migrants stranded aboard rescue ships in the Mediterranean Sea after being picked up attempting to make the crossing from North Africa to Europe.
In comments made during an address to thousands of people in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, the Pope appealed to European leaders to show “concrete solidarity” to the migrants, adding that they were now only seeking a “safe port” where they could disembark.
Thirty-two of the stranded migrants were picked up by a ship operated by a German humanitarian group off the coast of Libya on 22nd December. The other 17 people were rescued on 29th December by another German organisation. The 49 reportedly include several children.
Other groups including Amnesty International and the UN’s International Organization for Migration have also made appeals for the ships to be given a safe port to dock at.
Prior to the Pope’s appeal, the ships had already reportedly sparked a spat between Italy and Malta over which country should take them.
Spain’s maritime rescue service, meanwhile, announced that it has rescued 549 migrants who were attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe on the weekend.
