The survivors included three women and a young girl, most of them come from Sudan and South Sudan. The ship is expected to land in Brindisi, Italy, on Monday.
Crew from the humanitarian search-and-rescue vessel Ocean Viking rescued 14 people from a rubber boat in distress in the Libyan search and rescue zone on Friday morning (July 31), announced SOS Mediterranee, the non-governmental organization (NGO) that operates the ship. The survivors reportedly include three women and a young girl.
Ocean Viking responded after receiving information from Alarm Phone, an NGO that operates a hotline for people in distress at sea, and traveled overnight to the boat's last known position, according to SOS Mediterranee. The inflatable boat was reported to be unseaworthy and drifting without a propeller when the rescue operation began. According to the rescue team, none of the people on board had life jackets.
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Where did most of the survivors come from?
Most of the survivors are from Sudan, South Sudan, and countries in the Horn of Africa, regions that have been affected by armed conflict, climate change, and mass displacement, according to crew. Sudan has faced one of the world's largest humanitarian crises since the outbreak of civil war in 2023, with millions forced to flee their homes.
The rescued people are in stable condition but suffering from exhaustion after spending a day and a night at sea, as well as the effects of prolonged exposure to fuel fumes, SOS Mediterranee said. They are receiving medical care and assistance aboard the Ocean Viking.