The Ocean Viking ambulance ship, chartered by SOS Méditerranée, rescued 34 migrants on Thursday December 12 who were on board a boat in distress off the coast of Libya, the NGO announced.
Most of the survivors are from Syria and Gambia and are now “safe and sound”indicated SOS Méditerranée, an organization based in Marseille, in a press release.
“While the teams are relieved to have rescued these people, we are deeply saddened and angry at the tragedy that occurred a few days ago, in which 44 people disappeared from a boat departing from Sfax (Tunisia) »added the NGO.
European policies singled out
It is another NGO participating in migrant rescue missions in the Mediterranean, Compass Collective, which affirmed on Wednesday, after having saved the only 11-year-old survivor, that these 44 migrants were considered missing.
“These tragedies are favored by European policies which hinder our vital missions and by dangerous behavior” of the Libyan coast guard, also accused of obstructing relief efforts, denounced SOS Méditerranée.
According to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 2,140 people trying to reach Europe have disappeared or died in the Mediterranean Sea since the start of the year.
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