In Pictures

In Pictures: Migrants leave Ocean Viking ship in Italy’s Sicily

Nearly 200 migrants, refugees rescued in the Mediterranean transferred to a quarantine ship at Sicily’s Porto Empedocle.

epa08527229 A handout photo made available by the press office of SOS Mediterranee, shows Italian medical team consisting of a doctor and a cultural mediator, boarded on Ocean Viking ship at the Medit — The humanitarian aid boat Ocean Viking dropped anchor off the Italian island of Sicily 11 days after making its first Mediterranean rescue following the coronavirus crisis. [Flavio Gasperini/SOS Mediterranee via EPA]

Nearly 200 migrants and refugees rescued by a humanitarian aid boat in the Mediterranean Sea began to leave the vessel in Sicily late on Monday after spending nine days on the ship.

The migrants regained dry land at Porto Empedocle on the Italian island’s western coast.

Police escorted them a short distance to another vessel, where they will be quarantined to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus.

The arrival of the rescue vessel chartered by charity group SOS Mediterranee capped a tense few days on board marked by migrants jumping overboard, a suicide attempt and bouts of violence.

After being rescued in four separate operations on June 25 and 30, the refugees and migrants waiting on the ship became increasingly agitated, according to SOS Mediterranee, as the charity awaited the go-ahead from either Italy or Malta to dock at a safe port.

However, approval did not arrive until Sunday, after the group declared a state of emergency on board, adding it could no longer guarantee the safety of the migrants or crew.

Rising tension culminated in fights between migrants frustrated by the long waiting period and their inability to call their families to let them know they were safe.

One migrant tried to hang himself and two others jumped overboard, the charity said.

epa08530984 A handout photo made available by the press office of SOS Mediterranee, shows migrants on board the Ocean Viking ship anchored off the Sicilian port of Porto Empedocle in compliance with o — Migrants on board the Ocean Viking ship anchored off the Sicilian port of Porto Empedocle in compliance with orders from the Italian authorities. [Flavio Gasperini/SOS Mediterranee via EPA]

epa08530985 A handout photo made available by the press office of SOS Mediterranee, shows migrants on board the Ocean Viking ship anchored off the Sicilian port of Porto Empedocle in compliance with o — Conditions on the ship were difficult as the migrants were unable to disembark for days after being rescued late last month. [Flavio Gasperini/SOS Mediterranee vis EPA]

epa08530986 A handout photo made available by the press office of SOS Mediterranee, shows migrants on board the Ocean Viking ship anchored off the Sicilian port of Porto Empedocle in compliance with o — After being rescued in four separate operations on June 25 and 30, the migrants waiting on the ship became increasingly agitated. [Flavio Gasperini/SOS Mediterranee via EPA]

epa08530987 A handout photo made available by the press office of SOS Mediterranee, shows migrants on board the Ocean Viking ship anchored off the Sicilian port of Porto Empedocle in compliance with o — Rising tension culminated in fights between migrants frustrated by the long waiting period and their inability to call their families to let them know they were safe. [Flavio Gasperini/SOS Mediterranee via EPA]

The Ocean Viking rescue ship is moored at Porto Empedocle harbor, southern Italy, Monday, July 6, 2020. The humanitarian group SOS Mediterranee rescue ship with 180 migrants stranded aboard for days f — The Ocean Viking rescue ship was moored at Porto Empedocle harbour in southern Italy. [Fabio Peonia/LaPresse via AP Photo]

Migrants wearing protective facemasks on board of the humanitarian aid boat Ocean Viking, chartered by charity group SOS Mediterranee, prepare to disimbark upon their arrival on July 6, 2020 in the ha — Migrants wearing protective masks prepare to disembark upon their arrival in the harbour of Porto Empedocle on the island of Sicily. [Shahzad Abdul/AFP]

Migrants disembark the humanitarian aid boat Ocean Viking, chartered by charity group SOS Mediterranee, before being transferred to the Italian ferry Moby Zaza for a quarantine period, on July 6, 2020 — The migrants were transferred to the Italian ferry, Moby Zaza, for a quarantine period in the harbour of Porto Empedocle. [Shahzad Abdul/AFP]

epa08530578 Migrants are handled by police as they are transferred from NGO-run migrant-rescue ship Ocean to the the quarantine ship Moby Zaza ferry, in the port of Porto Empedocle, Sicily, Italy, 06 — The mayor of Porto Empedocle, Ida Carmina, told reporters that the migrants' arrival was too much for the economically suffering community to support. [Carmelo Imbesi/EPA]