The rescue operations started by the Grecale frigate, made indispensable given the surplus of people on board the boat, ended in the evening with the transfer to the frigate of 323 migrants, including 38 women and minor 54, of predominantly Syrian and Palestinian nationality.
The Corvette Sfinge instead rescued the second vessel, spotted by the Grecale frigate helicopter, in collaboration with the patrol vessel Cigala Fulgosi. Migrants, including 273 women and minor 65, mostly of Eritrean nationality, were rescued and brought on board the 8 corvette.
The first sighting of the boat in difficulty occurred thanks to a Predator of the Italian Air Force engaged in a patrol mission in the framework of Operation Mare Nostrum.
All the migrants rescued by the Navy ships engaged in the Mare Nostrum device will be transferred today to the San Giusto amphibious vessel, where they will be assisted by the medical staff and the Rava NPH Italia Onlus Foundation, and identified by the on-board State Police personnel.
The port in which they will be landed, as indicated by the Ministry of the Interior, has not yet been communicated. Since the start of the Operation, the Navy Units (assigned to Operation Mare Nostrum) 76 have been provided with rescue operations that allowed the rescue of 10134 migrants, including 713 women and minor 1019.
Source: Military Navy
