NGO: Ocean Viking rescues 55 people off the coast of Malta
The Ocean Viking rescue ship rescued 55 people off the coast of Malta on Thursday night, according to SOS Méditerranée. Among those rescued were two unaccompanied minors and four children under 14 years old, the organization stated, which has its headquarters in the southern French port city of Marseille. All the rescued were reportedly male and mostly from Syria.
Italian authorities reportedly directed the Ocean Viking to head for the port of Naples, where the people on board could disembark. The Ocean Viking is expected to arrive there on Saturday morning, SOS Méditerranée announced.
Since 2016, the organization has rescued over 40,000 people from the Mediterranean. Last year, 3155 people died or went missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. So far this year, 1080 people have died or gone missing on the perilous migration route.
The Ocean Viking, a rescue ship operated by the Non-Governmental Organization SOS Méditerranée, navigated towards the Malta coast. Between the rescued individuals, there were two unaccompanied minors and several children under the age of 14. When their Lifeboat neared the Maltese coast, local authorities communicated the direction to head towards Naples' port.
