SOS Mediterranee Rescue Mission
In a press statement, the non-governmental organization SOS Mediterranee stated that the aid ship Ocean Viking rescued over 44 migrants stranded on a merchant ship off the Libyan Coast.
Initial Rescue from Fiberglass Boat
Rescuers first saved most of the migrants, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Egypt, from an unsafe fiberglass boat and later picked them up from a merchant vessel aboard the Ocean Viking.
Libya as a Launch Point
Due to recent warnings from humanitarian agencies, Libya’s role as one of the main launch points for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa is dwindling, though it is still a launch point. With the majority of crossings originating from Libya, migrants travel from Libya to Italy, which is just over 300 kilometers away. The crossings are highly dangerous.
Exploitative and Unsafe Crossings
Highly exploitative, and at times, deadly, migrants trying to cross from Libya to other countries often load they themselves onto boats. Smugglers often load migrants onto overcrowded, unsafe boats. Aid groups say delays during rescues frequently leave survivors deeply traumatized.
Statement from SOS Mediterranee
“So, it has been reported that they exited Libya in a vessel from Benghazi. They were in that vessel for around five to six days. They have completely arrived from the Ocean Viking and they are safe,” stated Francesco Creazzo, a member of SOS Mediterranee.
Condition of Evacuees
Creazzo stated that the evacuees exhibited severe levels of physical anguish.“They were tired, dehydrated, and extremely weak. Some were unable to walk,” he continued.
Ongoing Mediterranean Tragedies
Since we last spoke, the Mediterranean has become the site of at least one more tragic entry of the Pakistanis. Mediterranean International says dangerous sea crossings have claimed hundreds of lives.The Ocean Viking, a registered rescue ship of the organization, carries one of the many medical ventilators the group has had to deploy on its missions. For Mediterranean International and similar organizations, the victims of the Adriana shipwreck outside of Greece earlier in the summer have become the protagonists of the last chapter of a mournful story.
Pakistani Victims in Mediterranean Migrant Tragedies
As tragedies involving Mediterranean migrants become more common, Pakistanis have been among the victims. Last summer, a ship carrying hundreds of Pakistanis and other migrants wrecked near Greece, ranking among the three worst incidents of the past decade. Shipwrecks off the coasts of Italy, Tunisia, and Libya have repeatedly claimed the lives of several Pakistanis.
Pakistan and International Response
Pakistan has officially banned its citizens from crossing borders illegally; however, the international community warns that ongoing war, economic hardship, and strict immigration laws often force authorities in many countries to act against their will.
