Minors from controversial migrant ship flee French refugee centre

More than half the 44 minors who were aboard the Ocean Viking refugee rescue vessel have fled the French social service that was taking care of them.

France allowed the ship carrying 200 migrants, rescued in the Mediterranean, to dock six days ago at Toulon in the southern Var region. Italy had refused to accept them.

This caused a dispute between France and the United States, as well as condemnation from far-right French parties who accused the government of being too soft on immigration.

The Var prefecture announced that 26 of 44 minors aboard the ship had fled Toulon, where they were housed.

According to the statement, the children who fled were mostly Eritreans, who wanted to live with relatives in Europe, such as the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

Children were not held in a cell and could go wherever they pleased. Adults who were on board the ship, which was operated by Medecins Sans Frontieres, are kept in a social centre and are forbidden from leaving.

According to the prefecture, social services will continue to provide temporary shelter and medical care for Ocean Viking minors.

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The Var region prefect announced last week that migrants would be transferred to a holding place where they would receive medical care and have their asylum applications processed. The government will return those who are not eligible to remain to their countries of origin.

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