The search and rescue vessel Life Support, operated by the medical charity Emergency, reached the port of Ancona in the Marche region of Italy in the morning of December 17 with 34 rescued migrants on board.

"We reached Ancona after five days of navigation during which the weather conditions were not favourable. In particular, during the first 48 hours, we had waves that were nearly two meters high," said Laura Pinasco, the commander of Life Support. She explained that the refugees were assisted by the NGO's medical personnel and finally landed and are safe. "We can only wish them well for their future lives," she said.

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Migrants fleeing Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sudan

The migrants had been travelling in a dinghy when they were rescued on December 12 in international waters in the Libyan SAR zone. The group, all men with an unaccompanied minor, had departed from Libya's coast and are from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sudan, countries devastated by armed conflicts, political instability, poverty and the climate crisis.

"Many of the people rescued are fleeing conflicts that prevent them from staying in their country," said Chiara Picciocchi, a cultural mediator on board the Life Support.

"A boy from Pakistan said he lived in an area where there were many conflicts and a very high level of poverty, which led him to travel to Europe. Once he reached Libya, he attempted to cross the Mediterranean twice. The first time he was intercepted and taken back by the Tunisian coast guard, but he was able to return to Libya and attempt a second crossing. This time, he was rescued by the Life Support: now he wants to live in Italy, find a job and for his family to join him," she added.

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Young Pakistani man speaks about abuse

"I come from Parachinar, in Pakistan, a city at the border with Afghanistan," explained a 23-year-old on board the vessel.

The traffickers I was with hit me and only gave us a piece of bread a day with some water

"Over the past few years, my city was targeted by several terrorist attacks, it's not a safe place to live. Schools are closed, hospitals don't have surgical equipment, there is only one road connecting the city to the rest of the country and it's often blocked, stopping the arrival of food, drinks and medicines, sometimes for weeks.

"For me it was impossible to live like this, I didn't feel safe, I had to leave. I studied to become an optometrist in college but I couldn't find a job, I wasn't able to support my family. For this reason too, I decided to leave.

"I left Pakistan four months ago and from there I first went to Dubai and then to Egypt, finally I took a plane to Benghazi, in Libya, where some people were waiting for me in a car. They took me to Tripoli. But during the three months I spent in Libya, I changed many cities. The traffickers I was with hit me and only gave us a piece of bread a day with some water.

"The first time we attempted the crossing, a drone operated by Libyan militias found us before we boarded the boat and we had to flee because they would otherwise have taken us. We waited another month and then we tried to take the trip a second time.

"When we had paid for the trip in Pakistan they had promised us a beautiful boat, with security measures and navigation instruments. Instead, when we arrived at the beach, we saw that we would take the trip on a small dinghy, without life vests, with little food and only five bottles of water for more than 30 people. We didn't want to get on board: it was too dangerous, there were too many of us and the boat was too small, but the Libyans forced us to do it. Luckily you found us, I don't know for how long we would have resisted without your help."

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