By Sami Zaptia.
London, 22 November 2016:
Over 600 migrants were rescued off Libya’s Mediterranean coast between last night and this morning from several overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels in joint search and rescue efforts by several NGOs, Malta-based NGO Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) reported.
At least one migrant is reported dead and many have been reported missing.
‘‘As November draws to a close, the Mediterranean continues to be as busy as ever. MOAS and the (Italian) Red Cross teams are now caring for 241 people on the (MOAS rescue ship) Responder’s deck, who are recovering from the trauma of the crossing, and many of which are suffering from severe hypothermia’’, MOAS reported.
‘‘The number of people attempting the dangerous crossing does not show signs of declining in the winter months as it has in past years. The dangerous crossing does not show signs of declining in the winter months as it has in past years”, the NGO reported.
Furthermore, this morning, MOAS reported another ‘‘challenging’’ operation during which 117 were rescued from a sinking rubber boat adding that ‘‘unfortunately many are claimed to be missing’’ with survivors reporting that several people drowned including the mother of two surviving children.
MOAS reported that survivors are still shocked and exhausted and many are suffering from hypothermia and various other injuries.
Meanwhile, the International Organizations for Migration’s (IOM) latest Maritime Incidents Report off the Libyan Coast says that 440 migrants were rescued and 30 bodies were retrieved off the Libyan coast between 4-18 November. This brings the total rescued off the Libyan coast to 15,385 in 2016.
These figures compare to the latest statistics reported by the IOM of 167,276 migrant arrivals to Italy from the Central Mediterranean (overwhelmingly from Libya) and 4,139 deaths up to 17 November.
