The Ocean Viking passengers arrived at the port of Toulon in the Var region, where they were expected to undergo health and safety checks, an official said. About 57 children, including the youngest, aged three, were among those on board from countries including Eritrea, Egypt, Syria, Bangladesh and Pakistan. More than 40 are unaccompanied minors, according to European rescue group SOS Mediterranee, which operates the vessel. Some people have been at sea since being rescued in the Mediterranean Sea three weeks ago, the organization said. The French coast guard boarded the Ocean Viking on Thursday to help four people who needed urgent medical attention. But controversy erupted when the new Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, refused to allow the Ocean Viking to dock in Italy – despite permission being given to three other private maritime rescue vessels.
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Ms Meloni claimed France would take the ship – before Paris confirmed this publicly. France agreed to offer a safe port to the Ocean Viking on Thursday. Image: French coast guard helps migrants evacuate aid ship Ocean Viking Photo: AP The refugees on board will be sent to France and other EU countries as part of a “solidarity” mechanism approved in June in a bid to ease pressure on frontline countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain. However, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin criticized Italy’s response as “unacceptable” and “incomprehensible” and has now announced that France will withdraw from the voluntary program to exchange asylum seekers as a result of the Italian government’s response. France is now to impose border controls between Italy, Mr Darmanin said. The Ocean Viking’s arrival has also sparked outrage among far-right politicians in France, who have criticized President Emmanuel Macron for what they called “open-arm immigration policies”. Image: A child is pictured playing in a box in Ocean Viking Pic: AP Jordan Bardela, president of the National Rally, France’s largest opposition party, said immigration to the country was “not an unconditional right”. “The French people want a much tougher stance on immigration.” He said the government’s immigration policies were “out of control”, adding: “Enough is enough.” Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:01 “Take it easy” on the immigration crisis, Sunak said Earlier this week, Opposition Leader Sir Keir Starmer said if he became prime minister he would “work upstream” with President Macron to stop smugglers starting to cross the Channel. Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raised the migration crisis with his French counterpart when the pair came face-to-face for the first time in Egypt for COP27. Ahead of the annual climate summit, Mr Sunak told the Sun newspaper that it was a “key priority” to resolve the issue of small boats crossing the Channel.
