From what we learn, the ship - flying the Moldavian flag - would have hundreds of people on board, perhaps migrants, and would be headed towards the Salento coast.
On board the helicopter of the Italian Air Force, in addition to the crew, also personnel of the Harbor Master's Office.
The intervention was requested by the Maritime Rescue Sub Center of Bari.
(19.11) An EH 101 helicopter of the Italian Navy brought 600 operators of the Gallipoli Coast Guard aboard the Blue Sky M merchant ship, with allegedly 3 migrants on board to verify the ship's governance conditions.
(19.36) The HH-139 of the Italian Air Force has reached the cargo ship Blue Sky M a few minutes ago and is ready to lower on the deck the three operators of the Harbor Master who are added to the three already disembarking from another helicopter.
The aircraft of the 84th SAR (Search and Rescue) Center of Gioia del Colle, one of the air rescue centers of the Italian Air Force which intervened in the recovery operations of the shipwrecked passengers of the Norman Atlantic ferry, had left shortly after 18.00 from the air base Apulian under the coordination of the Air Operations Command of Poggio Renatico, in contact with the Maritime Rescue Sub Center of Bari.
Source: Aeronautica Militare / Marina Militare
