German humanitarian organizations Sea-Eye and Mission Lifeline have reported on Saturday the rescue of more than 60 migrants during the last hours in the waters of the central Mediterranean.
The rescued persons had been in an unseaworthy rubber dinghy for a day and a half. Following their identification, the respective crews of the ‘Sea-Eye 4’ and the ‘Rise Above’, ended up taking part on Friday night in a joint operation to get the people out of the water.
Twelve unaccompanied minors were among those rescued, according to Sea-Eye.
Migrants usually set off from North Africa in unseaworthy vessels to reach a European Union (EU) country by sea.
The crossing is risky, especially in winter, because of the danger of bad weather and rough sea conditions.
Most of them reach Italy, where, according to the Ministry of the Interior, more than 98,700 migrants have arrived in boats so far in 2022, a figure significantly higher than in the same period last year (about 63,400).
Often, the boats capsize and their passengers drown. According to UN figures, more than 1,360 people have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean so far this year.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
