More migrants jumped off the Spanish humanitarian rescue ship Open Arms Tuesday in a desperate bid to reach shore, tantalizingly near after 19 days blocked on board in deteriorating conditions amid Italy's refusal to open its ports.
Open Arms described the situation on board as "out of control" and "desperate."
After one migrant jumped ship earlier in the day and was rescued by the Italian coast guard, nine more launched themselves into the sea wearing orange life vests, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
A reporter with the Spanish public broadcaster TVE reporting from the NGO boat said that the earlier jumper refused to return to the Open Arms ship, and was brought to the Italian island of Lampedusa instead, apparently triggering the reaction of the nine who followed his lead.
The reporter said that those jumping were "desperate and going mad" after 19 days trapped on board.
Open Arms said that both the Italian coast guard and its own crew were trying to rescue the additional nine.
According to AP, live video showed people wearing life vests floating in the sea, some in groups some individually, with a coast guard vessel nearby and rubber dinghies trying to reach them.
The Open Arms captain previously informed Italian authorities that the crew of 17 can no longer control the situation on board, as frustrated migrants resort to fighting.
