Along an immigration route that NGOs have warned is extremely risky, the Italian Coast Guard is in charge of leading rescue attempts to assist at least 400 migrants who are stranded aboard a boat in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Malta.
The coast guard informed reporters that there are three rescue efforts taking place with many vessels to help the boat carrying 400 migrants as well as another boat with an estimated 800 passengers on board.
The 400-migrant boat is at risk of capsizing after being stuck for at least 24 hours and is currently 170 miles southeast of Capo Passero, off the coast of Calabria.
In a tweet sent on Sunday, the assistance service Alarm Phone claimed it had received a call from the boat, which had left Tobruk, Libya, overnight. It added that it had informed authorities of the issue, but no rescue effort had been declared.
Many people on board, including a toddler, a pregnant lady, and a handicapped person, need medical assistance, according to Alarm Phone. One guy who was reportedly unconscious aboard the boat was among the frantic individuals who passengers said may have leapt overboard. It continued that water had accumulated in the boat's hull.
Tens of thousands of migrants attempt the perilous path each year in pursuit of better economic opportunities as they avoid conflict, persecution, and poverty. They sail in dinghies that are not appropriate for the voyage and may become stuck, resulting in serious diplomatic disputes with European nations in the area.
By way of the Mediterranean Sea, 105,131 migrants arrived in Italy in 2022, according to the most recent statistics provided by the UN organization for refugees. According to the same statistics, 1,368 people are still unaccounted for. As they attempted to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy in March, at least 28 migrants perished when their boats capsized off the coast of Tunisia.
27,875 persons have traveled thus far this year. The majority of new entrants were from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast.
German NGO Sea-Watch International tweeted that it had located the boat on Sunday and that Maltese officials had instructed one of two nearby merchant ships to provide the boat with gasoline, food, and water instead of trying to rescue anyone on board.
On Monday, Sea-Watch informed CNN that the weather had been "very bad" over the previous night, with waves reaching a height of 1.5 meters (5 feet). According to a spokeswoman for the NGO, "There is an urgent risk that the boat will capsize due to the number of people on the boat and the current weather conditions."
"Therefore, a rescue effort must be launched right away by the maritime rescue coordination center in Malta. However, merchant ships are told to just discharge fuel so that the boat may get to Italy on its own, which is extremely risky," the spokesperson stated.
On Monday, Sea-Watch informed CNN that the weather had been "very bad" over the previous night, with waves reaching a height of 1.5 meters (5 feet). According to a spokeswoman for the NGO, "There is an urgent risk that the boat will capsize due to the number of people on the boat and the current weather conditions."
"Therefore, a rescue effort must be launched right away by the maritime rescue coordination center in Malta. However, merchant ships are told to just discharge fuel so that the boat may get to Italy on its own, which is extremely risky," the spokesperson stated.
