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Sweden mulls greater role in EU migrant rescue mission

Xinhua, July 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Sweden is considering bolstering its presence in an EU-coordinated migrant rescue mission in the Mediterranean, local media reported on Saturday.

Sweden is looking to reinforcing an EU mission to rescue migrants in waters where 1,800 refugees have perished so far this year, daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported.

"The likely scenario is that we will send Swedish surveillance aircraft and another one or two smaller boats," Home Affairs Minister Anders Ygeman told the paper.

About 137,000 people have been rescued on the Mediterranean this year, a majority of whom were picked up in waters between Libya and Italy.

The Swedish coast guard has contributed to a rescue operation coordinated by the EU's border control agency Frontex that runs until the end of August.

About a quarter of the refugees brought to safety in Italy have been picked up by freight and trade ships, DN reported, prompting the private sector to demand more help from government agencies.

"We are ready to do our part. But we prefer to pick up people in a safe way with trained personnel rather than using ships that aren't designed for rescue missions," said Pia Berglund, president of the Swedish Shipowners' Association, a trade group.

Berglund added that she would consider helping the Swedish government contribute to the mission.

The Swedish coast guard's ship Poseidon has thus far been on 11 rescue missions in the region and brought nearly 2,900 migrants to safety. Endit