In August 2019, the humanitarian crisis involving the Spanish NGO ship Open Arms unfolded over 19 tense days.

The ship, carrying 147 rescued migrants, was denied entry into Italian waters by then-Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, sparking a political and legal battle.

Salvini's firm stance led to charges of kidnapping, as he blocked the migrants' disembarkation in Lampedusa.

The situation escalated internationally, drawing attention from European leaders and celebrities like Richard Gere, who boarded the ship to provide aid.

The crisis highlighted the broader European struggle with migration policies and ended only after judicial intervention, coinciding with the collapse of Italy's government under Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.