Hundreds of migrants were lifted to safety from a rescue boat funded by street artist Banksy after it became so overcrowded that it was in danger of capsizing in the Mediterranean.
Some 209 migrants were transferred from the MV Louise Michel on to another rescue boat, after its crew put out a series of mayday alerts saying the vessel could not move due to an overcrowded deck.
Earlier on Saturday, Italian coastguards had reached the Louise Michel – stranded in waters between Malta and the island of Lampedusa – but were only able to rescue 49 of the most vulnerable passenger, including 13 children.
Italian coastguards yesterday reached the vessel but were only able to rescue 49 of the most vulnerable passengers, among them 13 children
The MV Louise Micheal, named after a female anarchist, lying in waters between Malta and the island of Lampedusa
Crew members of civil sea rescue ship Sea-Watch 4 and medical Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on inflatable boats help migrants to get off the rescue ship
The Louise Michel last night remained dangerously overloaded and was said to be ‘losing its balance’ but other rescue ships have started to help get migrants off the boat
But late last night, a fellow rescue boat Sea Watch 4 arrived to help ‘all remaining guests’ off the Louise Michel, according to a tweet put out by the latter’s crew.
The ten-strong crew of the Louise Michel also tweeted: ‘It’s not over: We demand a Place of Safety for all survivors, now.’
The 100ft former French navy vessel, named after a female anarchist, had been almost double its maximum safe capacity of 120 and was said to be ‘losing its balance’.
In earlier tweet its crew had asked for urgent help, posting: ‘We repeat, #LouiseMichel is unable to safely move and nobody is coming to our aid. The people rescued have experienced extreme trauma, it’s time for them to be brought to a #PlaceOfSafety. We need immediate assistance.’
But migration activists criticised Banksy for launching a rescue ship in the Mediterranean, saying it would only encourage people smugglers to put more migrants on small boats and send them towards Europe.
The boat features some of Banksy’s trademark work, including a girl in a life vest holding a heartshaped safety buoy.
Migration activists criticised Banksy for launching a rescue ship in the Mediterranean, saying it would only encourage people smugglers to put more migrants on small boats and send them towards Europe
An Italian coastguard vessel rushed to Louise Michel after it sent out a call for help. They are pictured here being helped into the new vessel
Migrants are helped onto Sea Watch 4 from inflatable boats. The Sea-Watch 4 vessel, that has a clinic and already rescued 201 migrants onboard and is itself in search of a host port
Migrants traveling away from Louise Michel which features some of Banksy’s trademark work, including a girl in a life vest holding a heart-shaped safety buoy
So far this year, 550 migrants have died trying to cross the 300- mile stretch between Libya and the coasts of Italy and Malta.
The Louise Michel’s passengers were mainly African men believed to have set off from the Libyan coast in flimsy dinghies – but also include women and children.
One of the dinghies carrying the migrants also had a dead body, which was taken on board and then placed on a life raft, covered by a white sheet. The life raft was then attached to the Louise Michel.
Appealing for help, Lea Reisner, head of operations for the Louise Michel, said: ‘The people have sat in a mix of salt water and fuel for days. It is night and European states are not doing their f****** job. They deny responsibility while we are trying to keep everyone alive.’
But Alp Mehmet, chairman of campaign group Migration Watch, said: ‘Although Banksy may think what he is doing is helping, his actions are only serving to encourage this evil trade of migrant trafficking.
These people only care about making money and profit from others’ misery.
‘By launching this search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean, traffickers will be able to convince more migrants to attempt the perilous crossing.’
On Wednesday, 45 people – including five children – died when the engine on their boat exploded off the coast of Libya. Official data shows that more than 19,500 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean from Africa to either Italy or Malta this year.
Migrants are being scanned for body temperature by volunteers as they arrive
An injured migrant is being transfered at Lampedusa
Rescued migrants arrive after being transfered at the commercial port of Lampedusa
Pictured: Migrants being transferred at the commercial port of Lampedusa. Official data shows that more than 19,500 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean from Africa to either Italy or Malta this year
Pictured: A group of migrants wearing protective clothing waiting to be transfered by the minibus from the port to the Lampedusa after disembarking from the ship
Although Banksy has not said how much he has paid towards the vessel, the Louise Michel is believed to have cost £860,000. Last night, the
United Nations also weighed into the furore by saying it was concerned about the lack of dedicated EU-led search and rescue efforts.
In a statement, the UN High Commission for Refugees said: ‘The humanitarian imperative of saving lives should not be penalised or stigmatised, especially in the absence of dedicated state-led efforts.’
The Louise Michel set off in secrecy on August 18 from the Spanish port of Burriana, near Valencia. Banksy remained silent about the crisis in the Med last night, but earlier issued a video on his Instagram page, where he told his 10 million followers: ‘Like most people who make it in the art world,
I bought a yacht to cruise the Med. It’s a French navy vessel we converted into a lifeboat, because EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans.’
Men from different African nationalities wait to be assisted by crew members of the Louise Michel and Astral rescue vessels, after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded rubber boat
An Italian Coast Guard boat gets ready to dock in the port before disembarking a group of migrants from Libya that were rescued near the coast of Lampedusa by the ship Louis Michel
A Banksy-funded refugee rescue boat is stranded in the Mediterranean Sea with a dead migrant onboard after becoming too overcrowded to sail safely
Banksy, who hides his real identity, is believed to have asked a controversial German sea pilot and human rights activist called Pia Klemp for help.
Her company Sea-Watch has provided the all-vegan ten-man crew for the vessel, which sailed under the German flag.
Sea-Watch rescued more than 1,000 migrants in the Med last year, which has angered the Italian Government.
Italian authorities have charged Ms Klemp in absentia with aiding illegal immigration.
There are more than 200 people on board the Louise Michel and one dead body, according to tweets posted from the vessel’s account
There are more than 200 people on board the Louise Michel, including 10 crew members, with dozens of migrants suffering from fuels burns and dehydration after days at sea