Press Conference – Valencia, June 17th 2018

After Italy denied Aquarius, the search and rescue vessel operated by SOS MEDITERRANNEE in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), authorization to disembark 630 rescued people in a nearby port of safety, Aquarius embarked on a four-day journey to Spain. It disembarks in Valencia on Sunday 17 June.

SOS MEDITERRANNEE and MSF describe the unnecessary long journey to Spain and the ordeal of the past week. SOS MEDITERRANEE and MSF urge European leaders to facilitate disembarkation of the rescued people in nearby safe ports and set up proactive and dedicated search and rescue mechanisms in the Central Mediterranean.

When

Sunday, June 17th 2018, from 16:30 to 17:30

Where

Veles i Vents, Marina Real, Valencia, Spain – Press accreditations: acreditaciones@gva.es

Who

Sophie Beau, co-Founder and vice-President SOS MEDITERRANEE
Nicola Stalla, Search and Rescue Coordinator SOS MEDITERRANEE
Frédéric Pénard, Director of Operations SOS MEDITERRANEE
David Beversluis, Medical Doctor, Médecins Sans Frontières
Aloys Vimard, Project Coordinator, Médecins Sans Frontières
Karline Kleijer, Head of Emergencies, Médecins Sans Frontières

Contact 

SOS MEDITERRANEE 

Mathilde Auvillain : +39 347 328 24 12 m.auvillain@sosmediterranee.org and Sophie Rahal : +33 6 29 35 29 37

Médecins Sans Frontières
Guillermo Algar : +3 464 601 73 07 guillermo.algar@madrid.msf.org and Igor Garcia: +34 630 971 146 igor.garcia@barcelona.msf.org