Propose ongoing duties for coastguard ship Týr

Over three hundred migrants aboard Týr last week

Over three hundred migrants aboard Týr last week Photo: Icelandic coastguard

The Left Green Party will be making a proposal at parliament for the government to agree to increased funding to the Icelandic coast guard so that coast guard vessel Týr can continue its operations in the Meditteranean this summer. Týr is cur­rently tak­ing part in the Fron­tex pro­ject in the Mediter­ranean and has saved hundreds of migrants in recent months. 

MP Svandís Svavarsdóttir reveled the proposal on her Facebook page yesterday. The situation in the Mediterreanean is in dire need of rescue work. A vessel with 700 migrants sank on Saturday with only a few survivors. 

The Norwegian government decided yesterday to send a ship and crew for aid work in the Mediterranean. Italy has for some period of time called on the European Union for help with the desperate situation of migrants fleeing from northern Africa and undertaking perilous sea journeys to Italy. 

Related stories: 

Coastguard ship rescues crewless vessel 

The poignant image of a two-year old refugee 

Týr rescues 320 refugees 

Coast guard vessels rescues 342 migrants

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