Boat with 150 people on board in distress rescued and people taken back to Libya – Salvini
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Update: In a Facebook post, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said that the boat in distress had been rescued and was taken back to the Libyan port, from where it had left.
Earlier: An Italian aid group is reporting that a migrant smuggling ship with an estimated 150 people on board is in distress off Libya.
The Mediterranea Saving Humans group, which monitors migrant rescues, said Monday on Twitter that it heard about a distress call from a boat near Al Khoms, Libya. It appealed for Italian or Maltese coast guard ships to go to the area so the migrants aren’t returned to Libya.
The Times of Malta reported The boat, which NGO Alarm Phone said is believed to be carrying “50-60 women and 30 children”, is drifting at sea after its engine stopped working. It is believed to have started its journey from Libya.
An Armed Forces of Malta representative said that they had been alerted to the boat and were keeping tabs on it. It is however not in Malta’s area of jurisdiction, the spokesperson said.
No migrant rescue vessels are currently operating in the Mediterranean. The Sea-Watch 3, which was the last remaining ship carrying out rescues, is currently stuck in Catania.
Italy has sought to boost the Libyan coast guard’s abilities to conduct rescues in its search-and-rescue zone in the Mediterranean Sea so the migrants don’t come to Europe. But aid groups say migrants face horrific conditions once they are returned to Libya, including facing beatings, torture and rape.
