Alarm Phone, a charity that picks up calls from migrant vessels in distress, was alerted that a ship that departed Libya, carrying 500 migrants was in distress.
The migrants left Libya days ago, and their engine has reportedly stopped working. They told Alarm Phone that water entered the lower deck of the drifting boat, forcing them to move to the upper one.
The charity said it has informed the authorities, urging for their immediate rescue of the distressed migrants without delay.
“So far, no rescue is in sight, and authorities are silent about any efforts to rescue this boat in acute danger. The people ask for immediate rescue,” Alarm Phone said on Wednesday.
“How long do they have to wait for rescue? We urge authorities to not further delay rescue efforts,” Alarm Phone stressed.
Last month, Alert Phone reported that a boat with over 400 people was drifting between Malta and Libya, and taking in water. It claimed to have received a call from the boat that left Tobruk, and contacted the appropriate authorities.
Those on board were “terrified, and several of them needed medical help,” according to Alarm Phone. In addition, the “skipper had left and no one was left to guide the boat, which was out of gasoline and had a full bottom deck.”
Earlier in April, 440 migrants were rescued off Malta, after a complex 11-hour operation in stormy seas by the Geo Barents vessel of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) NGO. At least 23 African migrants were missing, and four died after their two boats sank off Tunisia, while attempting to reach Italy.
During the rescue effort, they discovered 25 bodies in the water, and were able to save 22 people, as well as recover two bodies, they tweeted. Resqship stated that their crew had been informed that 20 or so others had already drowned.
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
