In Pictures

Rescued migrants stranded in the Mediterranean

Migrants from Africa endure bad weather conditions on board a rescue ship as inaction in Europe keeps them at sea.

Sea Watch 3 sails near the Maltese coast to shelter from the bad weather. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

Sea Watch 3, three nautical miles south of Malta – The waves finally calmed down, giving those suffering seasickness some relief and time to walk out of the small overcrowded shelter, where 32 migrants or refugees are spending their days onboard the Sea Watch 3, the Dutch-flagged rescue ship that saved them from international waters near the Libyan Sea on December 22, 2018.

The five-by-six metre shelter on board the ship has only six bunk beds. The floor is covered with blankets so the migrants don’t sleep on the cold metal floor. Food is mostly rice and beans.

Some movies are shown on a small television screen installed in the makeshift shelter, the only distraction for these people sailing the Mediterranean Sea still without a destination.

Europe is just three nautical miles away.

Coming from the DRC, Mali, Egypt, Libya and other African nations, the rescued passengers all hope for a safer life in Europe after spending at least six months in Libya being forced to work for their freedom, often being conned by fake smugglers or militiamen.

“It’s getting more and more unstable every day, the level of stress is increasing,” said Frank Doener, the rescue vessel’s doctor, who is concerned about the physical and psychological condition of the “guests”.

He urges the European Union to stop this situation as soon as possible.

Kim Heaton-Heather, head of mission for Sea Watch on board the Sea Watch 3, said that many European countries have not offered a solution to the humanitarian situation inside the boat.

“The guests are still on board now because Malta has refused to allow us to come to port, and to be used as a port of safety. We have requested that twice, as we have been at a stand off the coast of Malta for a number of days. Also, Holland has not given us a port of safety and they are saying it is not really their responsibility. Italy also said it’s not their responsibility either because they were not the coordinating body of the rescue.”

As the migrants on board wait for an answer, the vessel continues to sail near the Maltese coast to shelter from bad weather. All the passengers can do is wait.

Migrants are seen in the shelter room where they live at night, volunteers form the ship organized some tv screening for them. Life onboard the Dutch-flagged rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 is hard and frus — Migrants sitting in the shelter room where they spend most of their time on board the Dutch-flagged rescue vessel. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

The vessel that is navigating in rough sea as the weather is bad and temperatures are low. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera] — 'It's getting more and more unstable every day, the level of stress is increasing,' said Frank Doener, the doctor on board. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

Three children with their mothers are among those rescued onboard the vessel. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera] — Three children and their mothers are amongst the rescued migrants on board the vessel. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

When the weater alowws migrants spend time outside the vessel cleaning their cloths. Life onboard the Dutch-flagged rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 is hard and frustrating for the 32 migrats rescued from t — When the weather allows it, migrants can spend some time on the deck. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

Many of the migrants are suffering from sea sickness. Life onboard the Dutch-flagged rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 is hard and frustrating for the 32 migrats rescued from the sea on the 22 December 2018. — Many of the migrants suffer from sea sickness. The Spanish coastguard said it rescued more than 400 migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea within the first two days of 2019. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

One of the migrants looking at the ''Professor Alberech Penck'' a second rescue boat carring other migrants sailing south of Malta. Life onboard the Dutch-flagged rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 is hard and f — At least 769 migrants died trying to reach the Spanish coast in 2018, while more than 56,000 people made the crossing, according to The Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

Life onboard the Dutch-flagged rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 is hard and frustrating for the 32 migrats rescued from the sea on the 22 December 2018. They are onboard without knowing what their destinatio — UNHCR estimated that more than 2,240 people died or went missing trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2018. [Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]

Live onboard the Dutch-flagged rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 is hard and frustrating for the 32 migrats rescued from the sea on the 22 December 2018. They are onboard without knowing what their destinatio — The Netherlands announced that it was prepared to take some of the 32 refugees and migrants waiting to disembark the Sea Watch 3 if other European countries did the same.[Federico Scoppa/Al Jazeera]