Banksy’s Migrant Rescue Ship Seized By Italy’s Coast Guard

A rescue ship sponsored by British street artist Banksy was seized in Lampedusa on Sunday after Italy's coast guard claimed the vessel defied orders to head to Sicily following a migrant rescue operation.

The coast guard stated that it had instructed the MV Louise Michel to dock in Trapani, Sicily, after completing an initial rescue in Libya's Search and Rescue zone. However, the ship instead proceeded to assist migrants on three other boats located in Malta's Search and Rescue area.

The coast guard also mentioned that it was already en route to aid those three boats at the time.

The Louise Michel was ordered to dock under a new law passed in Italy earlier this year, which outlines a code of conduct for migrant rescue charities, according to the coast guard.

The 30-meter-long, pink and white vessel, named after the French feminist and revolutionary Louise Michel, eventually arrived in Lampedusa late Saturday with 178 migrants on board.

The coast guard explained that its actions were intended to prevent the ship from overcrowding, which could have posed safety risks. Local authorities in Lampedusa stated that their reception centers are currently at full capacity.

The coast guard added that it had coordinated rescue operations for 58 boats, assisting more than 3,300 people in total.

The Louise Michel NGO posted on Twitter that they had been informed their vessel was being seized due to a violation of the new Italian law and expressed their intention to challenge the decision.