This afternoon in the central Mediterranean, about 50 nautical miles north-east of Tripoli, a P 72 maritime patrol plane of the 41st Air Force Sigonella flock flying as part of the operation Safe Sea, has seen a raft, under sinking, with about 20 people on board.
The crew of the plane, given the poor conditions of buoyancy, immediately launched near the boat two life rafts type Coastal, supplied to the aircraft, which are regularly open.
As soon as I received the information the destroyer Caio Duilio (at over 110 miles, 200 kilometers, from the action scene) has ordered the take off of its helicopter SH 90 to send it to the action scene. Once in the area the helicopter recovered, with two different missions, three shipwrecked in hypothermia, one from the water and two from one of the previously launched life rafts.
The other raft inspected was empty. Once on board of Nave Duilio, the three castaways have been stabilized and are now transferred to the Lampedusa hospital by helicopter.
The research continues under the coordination of the Libyan Rescue Coordination Center, which took responsibility for the rescue and redirected to the action scene a Liberian flag merchant, with support from the 72 P and the Nave helicopter Duilio on returning from Lampedusa.
Ship Duilio meanwhile continued support for research.
