Rescue Ship Rescues 47 Migrants in Mediterranean, Off Coast of Libya

Sat Jul 08 2023
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TRIPOLI: A migrant rescue ship named Ocean Viking saved the lives of 46 people who were in distress on Friday off the coast of Libya, as they attempted to reach Europe in a fiberglass boat. The humanitarian NGO, SOS Mediterranee, confirmed the successful rescue operation on Twitter.

Among those rescued were four single women, a four-year-old girl accompanied by her father, and approximately ten unaccompanied minors, according to SOS Mediterranee. The survivors, mostly hailing from Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan, are now receiving necessary care and support.

The central Mediterranean route remains the most perilous migration path globally, as stated by the International Organization for Migration. The UN agency reports that since the beginning of 2023, 1,728 migrants have gone missing in this region, surpassing the total of 1,417 for the entire year of 2022.

Illegal Migrants Crossing into Europe

Frontex, the European Union’s border patrol agency, highlights that boat crossings in the central Mediterranean are the primary route for irregular migrant entries into Europe. Departures from North African countries, including Tunisia, towards EU nations such as Italy and Malta, have more than doubled between January and May of this year compared to the same period in 2022, according to Frontex.

The tragic incident in June involving an overcrowded fishing trawler off the coast of Greece serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants. The vessel sank, resulting in the rescue of 104 people, the recovery of 82 bodies, and the potential loss of up to 560 others, according to estimates.

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