German motorsailer saves another 47 migrants in Mediterranean Sea

The German aid organization Resqship has rescued another 47 migrants in distress from the Mediterranean. The crew of the motor-sailing vessel “Nadir” evacuated people from an overcrowded steel boat that was in danger of capsizing on Friday and brought them to the Italian island of Lampedusa, the non-governmental organization announced on Saturday evening. According to the information, there were 14 women among the prisoners, including a pregnant woman, a small child and several minors.

The night before, the crew had provided emergency aid to 54 people on a wooden boat that was unable to maneuver, it was said. After the “Nadir” escorted the boat for hours, the people were rescued by the Italian coastguard and taken to Lampedusa.

The motor glider of the Hamburg association is not actually a rescue ship that can transport many people. During its missions, the “Nadir” usually provides first aid before larger rescue ships take in migrants and refugees in distress. Friday’s rescue was the crew’s third mission in just a few days. Only on Wednesday, Italian authorities ordered the “Nadir” to take 41 people from a boat in distress and take them to Lampedusa.

Resqship spokeswoman Cat Spangehl said of the latest rescue: “The boat was unstable, completely overloaded and very deep in the water.” Due to the waves, there was an “acute risk of capsizing”. There was already water inside. “People were increasingly panicking. Despite the critical situation, we had to wait a long time for permission from the Italian authorities to take people on board.” The people left the Tunisian city of Sfax on Thursday evening. They mainly come from Guinea and Ivory Coast.

For months, many people have been trying to reach southern Italy from North Africa via the dangerous Mediterranean route. Fatal accidents have been happening again and again lately. The Ministry of the Interior in Rome had counted nearly 41,000 boat migrants on Friday reaching Italian shores – that is more than four times as many people as in the same period in 2022, according to the information. (sda/dpa)