A port is needed for 555 refugees rescued from ordeal at sea

DrThe refugee rescue ship Ocean Viking is searching for a port to fetch 555 migrants rescued from ordeal ashore. “We have asked all stakeholders: Malta, Tunisia, Libya and now Italy,” a spokeswoman for SOS Méditerranée said on Monday. Agence France-Presse. Malta has already canceled, Tunisia and Libya have not responded.

“The situation on the ship is unbearable,” the spokeswoman said. People suffered from severe bloating and excessive heat. “A lot of seasickness. Some of them lost consciousness on deck because of the heat and what they’ve been through,” a member of the medical team aboard the Ocean Viking said on Twitter.

On several missions in the Mediterranean, aid organizations said they rescued more than 800 migrants in distress over the weekend. According to SOS Méditerranée, the “Ocean Viking” had already brought 196 people aboard on four rescue missions by Saturday evening. On Sunday evening, rescuers found a wooden boat with more than 400 people in it refugeesthat threatened to drown.

The rescue operation with the Sea-Watch 3 and the Resqship dhow “Nader” continued through the night. Rescue organizations said those rescued were split between the Ocean Viking and Sea-Watch 3. On Sunday, both ships had another mission. “We now have a total of 250 guests on board, and our crew is taking care of them,” the Sea-Watch 3 crew explained.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1,100 migrants have died at a dangerous crossing over the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year. According to official figures, there were more than 1,200 deaths last year. However, experts assume a large number of unreported cases. SOS Méditerranée claims to have rescued more than 30,000 people since February 2016.