Spanish NGO Open Arms has announced the rescue of 54 migrants, including women who had recently given birth and young children, who were stranded for three days on an oil platform in the central Mediterranean, off Libya’s coast.
The rescue took place overnight between 7 and 8 June, after the group had clung to the platform since Tuesday, following the sinking of their rubber boat shortly after departing from Libya. Video footage shared by Open Arms showed dramatic scenes of the rescue in harsh weather conditions, with evident panic among the group.
According to the NGO’s statement, one woman gave birth just a day before the rescue, while another had delivered her baby days earlier. Among the rescued were also two toddlers, highlighting the growing vulnerability of those attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean.
In a related operation, the Open Arms vessel “Astral” located an additional 109 migrants at sea, including four found floating in the water. The group had also departed from Libya, and among them were ten children.
Life jackets were distributed to the migrants, and the final rescue was carried out by the vessel “Louise Michel”, which later transferred them to a safe port in Sicily, Italy.
The latest rescues underscore the ongoing migration crisis in the central Mediterranean, where many migrants, including families, continue to risk their lives fleeing conflict, poverty, and insecurity in Libya. NGOs like Open Arms remain among the few active humanitarian actors in the region, despite legal and logistical obstacles.
