Since this morning 2,000 immigrants have been saved at sea by Italian naval vessels and the ship Moas Phoenix of the Mr. and Mrs Catrambone. (Catrambone is a wealthy Italian-American businessman based in Malta and his wife is from Calabria. The first time she saw a floating jacket in the Mediterranean from her yacht and asked how that got there, and was told it was probably from a drowned immigrant, they bought the ship and set out out to save drowning immigrants.)Also involved in the rescues are German and Irish vessels. Of the 2,000 migrants saved, 372 were welcomed aboard the private ship that searches the Mediterranean for boat people. The Italian navy ship Vega took on 316 migrants. A bit before ship Driade helped out an immigrant boat carrying 560 persons, among whom many babies and women, seven of them pregnant. Later on they took on 300 more migrants found at sea.
And these weren't the only rescues, according to today's La Repubblica newspaper. Another fifteen or so boats with at least 3,000 more immigrants have been sighted between north Africa and Sicily.
And these weren't the only rescues, according to today's La Repubblica newspaper. Another fifteen or so boats with at least 3,000 more immigrants have been sighted between north Africa and Sicily.