MSF’s Geo Barents ship rescues 500 migrants in the Maltese SAR area. I’ve been adrift since Monday

After 12 hours at the mercy of the sea in Maltese Sar areaa hope of salvation has opened up for the 500 migrants reported on Monday afternoon by Alarm Phone through your Twitter profile. The ship Geo Barents Of Doctors Without Borders she sighted the boat with the survivors on board around 4 in the morning and got as close as possible to the vessel. Because of adverse weather conditionsthe rescue was not immediate due to the risk of compromising the safety of survivors and rescuers. In the early afternoon the situation improved and two small hulls went into the water to attempt an intervention by distributing the lifesaver. Operations are continuing in the evening. From the ship of Doctors Without Borders they let it be known that just over 400 people, out of the approximately 500 who were on board, have been rescued but “the rescuers are slow down by strong gusts of wind.

UPDATE: We have re-established contact with the ~500 people in danger. They tell us that the sea is stormy. The wind is blowing at 27 knots and the waves are high! They are found in the SAR of #Malta. We fear for their lives! The European authorities coordinate the rescue immediately! pic.twitter.com/TDNUNIaqSc

— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) April 3, 2023

They are however Maltese authorities to have assumed the coordination of the rescue operation. Just as indicated yesterday by the National Maritime Rescue Coordination Center of Rome which, contacted by Alarm Phone, had made it known that the boats in the area should have contacted the authorities of Valletta as “responsible authorities”.