Italy and Sea Rescue

If you go and follow the German public news folks (Channel One)....there's an interesting story this morning over Italy, and this rescue-in-the-Med business.

The Italian govenrnment over the past year has lost patience with the various independent rescue vessels that picking up rubber-raft people who are dragged from the Libyan coast....far enough north that they are out of territorial waters, and close enough to the isle of Lampedusa (Italy), that they can cruise in and drop them off.  Eventually, the Italians said enough and started attempts to deny them entry into the port.

The newest tactic?  If sea rescue vessels are illegally in Italian territorial waters....they will suffer a penalty up to one million Euro, and possibly confiscation of their vessel.  It's been in draft form and proceeding to a vote.

If you look at the strategy....there's this 1982 international treaty which says you (as a country) own the area out to 22 km or 12 nautical miles from your coast.  So a sailing vessel can't enter that area unless they have permission.  So Italy is going to use that rule to suggest to the rescue vessel that they have to stay 22 km out away from Lampedusa.  If they enter the waters, even with rescued folks?  The one-million fine falls into play, and the confiscation.

My humble guess is that several coast guard vessels from Italy will be deployed out and stopping vessels on a frequent basis.  Once they find a rescue vessel violating the 22 km area....the fine will be issued and they probably will hold the vessel in place until the rescue organization pays the fine.  Again, my humble guess....after a week of holding the vessel....if there is NO action on the fine....the confiscation will occur.

In simple terms....you will go broke as a rescue organization, if your delivery target is an Italian island.  The EU reacting to this?  I would imagine that they will take up the international treaty from 1982, and try to rig a rule that says you can't impose rules over rescue-craft.  Odds of passing via the 28 countries?  Zero chance.

I would suggest that by the end of 2019....it will be hard to run the rescue vessel business.....unless they start to deliver their parties to a French territory.