SOS Méditerranée saves migrants along libyan coast

Another successful rescue operation for SOS Méditérranée.

The Ocean Viking, an ambulance vessel chartered by the NGO, rescued 86 people in distress off the coast of Libya on Tuesday as they tried to reach Europe on a makeshift boat, according to a press release.

Sources say 80% of the rescues are believed to be minors who attempted this perilous crossing unaccompanied by their families.

They are now being cared for by teams from SOS Méditérranée and the International Federation of the Red Cross aboard the Ocean Viking.

The Italian authorities have designated the port of Bari as a safe port for the disembarkation of the survivors, representing an additional three days of sailing.

According to the United Nations agency for refugees (UNHCR) over 80 thousand people, have reached Europe from Northern Africa and the Middle East by sea and over a thousand are estimated to have died or gone missing trying to cross in 2023.