LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – A total of 109 migrants rescued from the central Mediterranean are currently en route to the port of Livorno, Italy, after being saved by the German non-governmental organization Sea Watch. The Sea Watch 5 vessel first rescued 104 people from a wooden boat in distress, including 41 minors, during a rescue operation.
“The people are now being cared for on board while we sail to Livorno, Italy, which has been assigned to us as port of safety,” the NGO said in a statement. Shortly after the first rescue, the crew received a new alert regarding another boat in distress. During the search, they spotted a Libyan coastguard vessel approximately 3.5 kilometers away. Sea Watch’s rescue boats were able to intervene and save five more people. However, uncertainty remains surrounding the fate of the original boat that triggered the second alert.
According to Sea Watch, the European border agency Frontex later informed them that the individuals aboard had been rescued. “We don’t know whether that means they were rescued by the Italian coastguard or intercepted by the so-called Libyan coastguard and illegally dragged to Libya,” the NGO said, raising concerns about potential breaches of international law. Sea Watch continues to advocate for safe and legal pathways for migrants and calls for European nations to uphold humanitarian obligations in the Mediterranean.
– photo Sea Watch –
(ITALPRESS).
