SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The Latest on migration issues in Europe (all times local):
2:10 p.m.
A Dutch court has given Mediterranean migrant rescue organization Sea-Watch until the end of the year to ensure that its Sea-Watch 3 ship complies with beefed-up safety regulations.
Thursday’s ruling by The Hague Court of Appeal came in a case brought by Sea-Watch against the Dutch government after authorities in the Netherlands introduced stricter regulations in April and a judge earlier gave the organization until Aug. 15 to implement them.
The Dutch-flagged Sea-Watch 3 operates in the Mediterranean, picking up migrants making the perilous crossing from North Africa to Europe. The Dutch government tightened safety regulations after countries like Italy made it harder for the ship to take rescued migrants to shore.
Italy’s interior minister, Matteo Salvini, closed the country’s ports to humanitarian boats, blaming them for aiding human traffickers.
___
10:30 a.m.
A migrant has died in Bosnia after he was hit by a train reportedly while sleeping on railway tracks.
Police say the accident happened early Thursday in the northwestern town of Bihac where thousands of migrants have been stuck while trying to move toward Western Europe.
Bosnian Klix news portal reports that the approaching train sounded its siren and attempted to stop but the man didn’t move. Police say they are investigating what happened.
Police also say the body of another migrant was found Wednesday in a house in Velika Kladusa in northwestern Bosnia, which borders neighboring European Union member Croatia.
Many migrants sleep rough as they travel through various countries while fleeing war or poverty in their home countries. Impoverished Bosnia has been struggling with the migrant influx.
