Toulon: the 234 migrants were welcomed

At 8:50 a.m. on Friday November 11, the Ocean Viking docked in the port of Toulon (Var). Cameras were not allowed to film the reception of the 234 migrants. The Toulonnais are divided by the arrival of the ship. “France has made a great effort on its side to precisely welcome these migrants.greets a man while another deplores this welcome by declaring: “It’s a bad thing for France“. For migrants stranded for 20 days at sea, this arrival is a relief.

The reception of these 177 adults and 57 children aroused great emotion. “It is indeed a great, great relief for these people who have experienced the ordeal (…) they were in a physical and mental state that was on the verge of rupture“, describes Fabienne Lassalle, deputy director of SOS Méditerranée. 600 people were mobilized to carry out health assessments. Also, checks of security will be carried out by the French authorities to verify that the migrants do not represent a danger. The 234 people will then be accommodated in an accommodation centre.