International NGO, SOS Méditerranée confirmed that its ship Ocean Viking rescued 37 migrants, off the Libyan coast on Saturday. It added that they will be disembarked in the port of Ancona in Italy, on the Adriatic Sea.
In a statement, the NGO said that the ship rescued the migrants who were on board “a small rubber boat overloaded in international waters, off the coast of Libya.” It confirmed to AFP that the ship was headed towards Ancona.
The organization said that “the port is located 1,575 km from the area of operations (4 days of navigation),” expressing its concern for the survivors. Meteorologists “indicate a deterioration in the weather as of Sunday evening,” which will expose them to “strong winds and rough seas.”
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed that 24,684 migrants were intercepted in the Mediterranean, and returned to Libya in 2022.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the IOM stated that the number of migrants witnessed a decrease of 24% in 2021, at 32,425 migrants.
The UN body confirmed that it recorded 1,373 drowned or missing persons, during the past year. It announced that the Libyan Coast Guard had rescued 633 migrants off the coast of Libya, and returned them from 27 November to 3 December 2022.
It has also confirmed that it has “helped repatriate 60,000 migrants from Libya to their home countries over the past seven years, in a safe and dignified manner, through the Voluntary Humanitarian Return Program.”
The IOM described this voluntary program, which has been in operation since 2015, as “a crucial lifeline for stranded migrants from 46 different countries across Africa and Asia, who want to return home and rebuild their lives.”
Notably, the IOM announced that 1,088 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya, from 25-31 December 2022.
