Libya migrants allowed to disembark in Italy after rescue boat saves 424 people

Italy on Sunday allowed a rescue vessel carrying 422 migrants from Libya to dock at Augusta port in Sicily. Migrants on the rescue boat were allowed to disembark in Italy following distress calls made by the ship in wake of a storm. The Ocean Viking rescue ship, which is operated by SOS Mediterranee and is part of the European Association for Rescue in the Mediterranean Sea missions, called in for help on multiple occasions before they were finally allowed by the Italian government to come ashore.

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"Relief for the survivors on board the Ocean Viking! They have just learned that a safe place has been assigned to disembark, at Augusta in Sicily. While we are glad they are safe soon, we are calling the #UE to strengthen its support to coastal states and to re-establish a dedicated rescue capacity in Méditerranée central," SOS Mediterranee said on Twitter. 

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Evacuees include women & children 

The rescue team onboard the Ocean Viking ship rescued 424 people in less than 48 hours, including children and women, who were illegally trying to flee Libya on inflatable boats. According to SOS Mediterranee, the rescue team onboard the Ocean Viking spotted an inflatable boat on Thursday, February 4 and it rescued all 121 people,  including 19 women and two small children. Hours later the team rescued 116 people from another inflatable boat. On February 5, the team saved 71 people, including 11 minors after it noticed a small boat in distress. 

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Ocean Viking has been carrying 424 people onboard its 69-metre ship ever since. Eight of the 424 rescued people also tested positive for COVID-19 following which they were isolated from the rest. According to the group, a pregnant lady and her partner were urgently evacuated to Malta on February 6, which left the total number of evacuees to 422. Every year, thousands of people die on the sea while attempting to cross into Europe via Africa. Most of these accidents take place because of a lack of safety protocols on poorly managed inflatable boats. 

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(Image Credit: AP)