Rescue ship saves 48 migrants, mostly underaged, from Mediterranean Sea

A dramatic rescue operation was carried out by the Ocean Viking rescue ship on Tuesday, saving 48 mostly underage migrants from the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast.

The migrants, who were packed into an overloaded small boat, were rescued after the ship received a notification from a NATO aircraft via VHF radio.

According to SOS Mediterranee, the organization operating the Ocean Viking, the group of survivors is made up of “90 percent unaccompanied minors”.

The organization stated that most of the survivors are originally from The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, and are now safe and resting in the on-board shelters.

Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest countries, is plagued by corruption and has become a common departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe.

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The rescue operation highlights the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, with thousands of people risking their lives to cross the sea in search of a better life.

However, the rescue operation has also raised concerns about the Italian authorities’ handling of migrant arrivals. SOS Mediterranee complained that the Italian authorities had issued an authorization for the Ocean Viking to dock at the distant port of Ravenna, almost 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) or a four-day sail away.

The organization criticized this decision, stating that it “empties the Mediterranean of search and rescue resources and increases the suffering of rescued people”.

The migrant crisis in the Mediterranean has resulted in thousands of deaths and disappearances in recent years. According to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), around 1,985 people attempting to reach Europe across the Mediterranean have gone missing or died this year alone.

SOS Mediterranee’s criticism of the Italian authorities’ handling of migrant arrivals highlights the need for a more coordinated and humane approach to addressing the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.

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