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A German boat captain could face 20 years in an Italian prison after she rescued more than 1,000 people from “drowning in the Mediterranean”.

Pia Klemp, 35, is to stand trial in Sicily, accused of assisting illegal immigration by co-operating with smugglers to traffic migrants to Italy.

Ms Klemp, from Bonn, was working as a captain for Sea-Watch – a charity which conducts rescue missions in the Central Mediterranean – when her boat was impounded by Italian police in 2017.

Italian authorities allege that she and her colleagues colluded with smugglers to collect migrants at rendezvous points on the Mediterranean sea and “stage” rescues.

She denies any criminal wrongdoing and has vowed to fight her prosecution all the way to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

The 35-year-old told Swiss paper Basler Zeitung: “We have only followed international law, especially the law of the sea, where the highest priority is to save people from distress.

“The rescue is criminalised. We are already paralysed. And that’s why people are dying on the Mediterranean.”

Pictures taken by undercover officers allegedly show human traffickers “escorting” vessels packed with asylum seekers before they are transferred to aid boats.

However, Ms Klemp has previously insisted that any incriminating pictures were taken in Malta rather than Libya, as police have suggested.

Ms Klemp, who has been hailed as a life-saving humanitarian, said she was now prepared for a long and expensive legal battle as part of a “year-long show trial”.

“We are accused of aiding and abetting illegal entry,” she explained. “On it stands up to 20 years imprisonment and horrendous fines.

“We are facing a year-long show trial. The legal and legal costs alone will amount to over 300,000 euros (£266,000) plus travel and campaign costs.”

She told the Swiss paper the worst thing about the episode was that the money for her defence - partly raised through donations - could have been used on rescue missions.

Ms Klemp has the support of more than 85,000 people who have signed a petition urging Italy to drop the charges.

The author of the petition, Hannes Seidel, wrote that charging Ms Klemp and fellow members of private rescue ships would mean the “unconditional surrender of humanity in Europe”.

“This is an injustice to all the people in need who, out of desperation, flee across the Mediterranean Sea and risk their lives,” he added.

Refugee Charity Help Refugees has also urged its supporters to back Ms Klemp, writing on its Facebook page:” Rescuing people at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean. Seeking asylum is a human right, but currently 15% of people crossing from north Africa die at sea.

“We stand in solidarity with all people who step up to help. This criminalisation of kindness must stop.”