NGO “Open Arms” Rescues 265 Stranded Migrants In The Mediterranean

The Spanish NGO, Open Arms, has been applauded for two operations that rescued a total of 265 migrants in the Mediterranean over a 48-hour period.

The videos were shared by Open Arms which showed the rescue of 265 people in two operations during a span of two days, according to a statement by the organisation.

 

The video shows the first operation which rescued 169 people onboard a wooden boat on 31st December.

Open Arms members help the migrants onto the boat before they are seen safely on deck. The group later sings a song, apparently showing their thanks to the crew as the video ends.

Open Arms told Newsflash that some of the rescued migrants showed signs of hypothermia and malnutrition and of the 169 people, 12 were women and 46 were minors some of whom were infants.

Two days after the first rescue, the NGO was alerted to a second wooden boat with similar characteristics to the first which was also stranded in the Mediterranean on 2nd January.

A second video shows the moment the stranded boat is spotted and then approached by Open Arms members.

A further 96 people, predominantly of Eritrean nationality, were helped by the group leaving the total number of rescued migrants by Open Arms at 265 in 48 hours.

The NGO said two of the people rescued in the second boat were women and 17 were minors.

Open Arms has received permission from the Italian government to dock at Porto Empedocle in Sicily where they are currently sailing after the Maltese government refused to let them dock there, according to a statement earlier today (4 January).

The Open Arm ship is one of 17 NGO run ships involved in the rescue of migrants crossing the Mediterranean. She is expected to arrive in Italy at some point today.

Both migrant vessels are reported to have started their journey from Libya.