Mediterranean rescue vessel reports 130 picked up in recent operation

Non-governmental aid organization SOS Mediterranée saved around 130 migrants in distress in the central Mediterranean overnight, the organization reported on Wednesday.

The crew of the Ocean Viking saved 70 people who were facing waves of up to 3 metres on a dinghy off the Libyan coast during the night, and a further 60 people on Wednesday morning.

Thus, the Ocean Viking is currently carrying 295 migrants, after rescue operations on Sunday and Monday. Around 130 of the people are unaccompanied minors, the organization said.

The Italian coastguard reported on Wednesday that it saved around 80 migrants in distress in a fishing boat near the eastern coast of Sicily on Tuesday.

A pregnant woman and her husband were airlifted by helicopter for medical reasons, while the remaining people were taken to the Sicilian port of Augusta by the coastguard.

Migrants fleeing persecution or hoping for a better life in Europe often resort to overcrowded and unsuitable boats to make the dangerous crossing from northern Africa to Europe, particularly Italy and Malta.

The Italian Interior Ministry has counted 9,600 migrants arriving in the country by boat in 2022 as of Tuesday. Nearly 550 people are assumed missing or dead in the Mediterranean Sea so far this year, according to UN figures.