More than 100 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya

The Address | Benghazi – Libya

TRIPOLI – The Libyan Coast Guard rescued overnight on Friday a dinghy with about 100 immigrants on board, almost all of Sudanese nationality, Italian news agency Aki reported.

Proactiva Open Arms, a non-governmental organization based in the Mediterranean, was the first to report the incident. The organization tweeted late Friday evening that more than a hundred migrants were in “mortal danger” but they were 9 hours of navigation away for the organization. Open Arms said it informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Italy and the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Libya but without any response.

#BREAKING
After months of silence #Med and few hours of being back in SAR
120 lives in mortal danger, but 9 hours of navigation away for #OpenArms & #MareJonio
Coordination center #Rome alert but no answer from #Libia
The boat is sinking & there are already drowned #United4Med pic.twitter.com/c51BeZhsW9

— Open Arms ENG (@openarms_found) November 23, 2018

Open Arms said that unknown number of migrants have already drowned before the Libyan Coast Guard arrived. The organization added, “some will be saved from the sea, and exposed to new dangers and tortures in Libya.”

We will never know how many people died tonight in #Med after we send am alarm and a tugboat rescued the boat in danger in the morning. Some will be saved from the sea, and exposed to new dangers and tortures in #Libya https://t.co/9tu6yEZwdm

— Open Arms ENG (@openarms_found) November 24, 2018

Italy’s Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini. confirmed the news on Saturday as he tweeted “in the night the Libyan coast guard has recovered a dinghy with about 100 immigrants on board,” before adding, “many greetings to smugglers and NGOs.”

🔴AGGIORNAMENTO DALLA LIBIA
Nella notte la guardia costiera libica ha recuperato un gommone con circa 100 immigrati a bordo.
Tanti saluti a scafisti e Ong!https://t.co/odx8AMBjWL

— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) November 24, 2018