Over 50 migrants have been headed to the Italian island of Lampedusa Sunday after a charity ship rescued them from an deserted oil platform within the Mediterranean, the place one girl gave beginning, in keeping with a rescue group.
The vessel Astral, operated by the Spain-based NGO Open Arms, rescued the 54 individuals in a single day, the group mentioned in an announcement.
The migrants had been trapped on the oil platform for 3 days after their rubber boat shipwrecked following their departure from Libya on Tuesday, Open Arms mentioned.
On Friday, one of many migrants gave beginning to a boy, whereas one other girl had given beginning days earlier than. Two different younger kids have been among the many group, Open Arms mentioned.
The group launched pictures on social media, displaying rescuers serving to switch the migrants from the oil platform to the Astral.
Open Arms
Later Sunday, the charity mentioned that, following the rescue of these on the oil platform, the Astral came across one other 109 individuals, together with 4 individuals within the water.
That group, which included 10 kids, had additionally departed from Libya, it mentioned.
Open Arms mentioned they supplied life jackets to the migrants earlier than they have been rescued by one other charity ship, the Louise Michel, which is sponsored by avenue artist Banksy.
The Louise Michel, a former French navy vessel, was transporting the migrants from Lampedusa to a protected port in Sicily, Open Arms mentioned.
The Italian island has been the sight of migrant tragedies earlier than. In December, greater than 40 migrants have been feared lifeless off Lampedusa after a lone 11-year-old survivor mentioned the boat she was on capsized, in keeping with the rescue group Compass Collective.
It’s not uncommon for migrants crossing the Mediterranean on leaky and overcrowded boats to hunt refuge on offshore oil platforms.
As of June 1, some 23,000 migrants had reached Italy by sea this yr, in keeping with the U.N. Refugee Company (UNHCR).
Earlier this yr, Spanish coastguards rescued a child that was born on an inflatable vessel carrying migrants to the Canary Islands. The new child was recovered safely together with their mom on Monday, the coastguard service mentioned in a message on social media.
