Share

Nearly 300 migrants rescued off Libya: aid group

A migrant group said on Friday it had rescued nearly 300 migrants off the coast of Libya over the previous 24 hours.

"More than 300 people safe on board the #OpenArms," the Proactiva Open Arms organisation tweeted.

The organisation added that it had rescued people on board three vessels in difficulty in a single day.

The vessel started patrolling the Mediterranean with two other boats run by migrant aid groups off the Libyan coast in late November.

This area of the Mediterranean has been the most deadly for migrants attempting the crossing to Europe.

More than 1,300 migrants have perished trying to reach Italy or Malta since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

* Sign up to News24's top Africa news in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TO THE HELLO AFRICA NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW News24 Africa on Twitter and Facebook.

Aid groups have been sending rescue vessels into these waters despite vocal opposition from Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.

Accusing the groups of acting as a "taxi service" for migrants, he has denied them access to the country's ports. Malta too, has been increasingly unwilling to host rescue vessels.

Another aid group meanwhile, Sea-Eye from Germany, announced Friday that one of its vessels was setting off from the southern Spanish port of Algeciras.

The 18-strong crew includes former volunteers who were on board the Aquarius, a rescue boat run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SOS Mediterranee.

The two groups said they had to halt activities earlier this month because of obstruction by some European countries.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Can radio hosts and media personalities be apolitical?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes, impartiality is key for public trust
32% - 380 votes
No, let's be real, we all have inherent biases
68% - 800 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.13
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.80
+0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.41
-0.1%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.30
+0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.1%
Platinum
943.10
-0.8%
Palladium
1,028.00
-0.2%
Gold
2,391.27
+0.5%
Silver
28.50
+1.0%
Brent Crude
87.11
-0.2%
Top 40
67,316
+0.2%
All Share
73,342
+0.1%
Resource 10
63,157
-0.2%
Industrial 25
98,748
+0.3%
Financial 15
15,523
+0.3%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE