Status: 02/13/2022 4:52 p.m
Private sea rescuers travel to the Mediterranean again and again to rescue people who get into distress at sea on their way to Europe. The ship “Ocean Viking” has taken in more than 200 refugees within 24 hours.
The aid organization SOS Méditerranée rescued more than 200 migrants in distress from the Mediterranean within 24 hours.
In four rescue operations, the ship “Ocean Viking” took a total of 228 people on board, the organization said. 51 of them are minors.
Also a baby on board
During a first operation on Saturday afternoon in the Maltese search zone, 93 people were rescued from an overcrowded wooden boat. On Sunday night, the crew off Libya took another 88 migrants on board, including a baby.
On Sunday morning, rescuers discovered another wooden boat with 22 people on board off Malta and finally a boat with 25 people in international waters. Of the 51 rescued minors, 49 were traveling without their parents.
A total of tens of thousands saved
Since it was founded in 2015, the organization SOS Méditerranée claims to have rescued more than 34,800 people from distress at sea.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Mediterranean Sea is the most dangerous refugee route in the world. The UN organization estimates that more than 17,000 people have died or are missing there since 2014.