Sir, – On October 24th, 2019, our European Parliament voted against improving search and rescue for refugees in the Mediterranean. A collection of far-right and mainstream conservative parties including four Fine Gael MEPs defeated the plan to pressure member states to step up their efforts and comply with their duties under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, Article 98.
“Duty to render assistance: 1. Every State shall require the master of a ship flying its flag, in so far as he can do so without serious danger to the ship, the crew or the passengers: to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost; to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress, if informed of their need of assistance, in so far as such action may reasonably be expected of him;
“2. Every coastal State shall promote the establishment, operation and maintenance of an adequate and effective search and rescue service regarding safety on and over the sea and, where circumstances so require, by way of mutual regional arrangements co-operate with neighbouring States for this purpose.”
According to the UN International Organisation for Migration, about 18,000 people have died in the Mediterranean since 2014. Many more will die because of this failure by the EU MEPs, and EU states including Ireland to comply with their humanitarian and international law obligations. – Yours, etc,
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EDWARD HORGAN,
Castletroy, Limerick.