Italian Coast Guard and charities rescue 1,100 migrants in the Mediterranean sea; 5 found dead

Sunday has been a day of rescues in the Mediterranean sea as the Italian Coast Guard along with European charities such as Sea-Watch and SOS Mediterannee rescued over 1,100 migrants, adrift near the Libyan coast and other places. 

Reportedly, three Coast Guard patrol boats, a financial boat and a Navy mercantile ship conducted the rescue operation from the middle of the sea, approximately 190 kilometres off the coast of Calabria.

The rescued were later brought to the Italian ports of Sicily and Calabria. According to the Navy, five had died but the cause of the death was still unknown. 

Meanwhile, the German charity Sea-Watch and its Sea-Watch 3 vessel, famous for conducting such rescue operations also managed to protect 444 migrants who were trying to cross the Sea on overcrowded small boats. 

SOS Mediterannee, with the help of its Ocean Viking ship, conducted the search and rescue operation near the Libyan coast. Reportedly, 87 migrants, including 57 minors without any parents were rescued. None of them had any kind of life jackets for protection. 

According to Italy Navy, while some migrants were attempting to flee to Europe in search of a better life and opportunities, others were fleeing conflict, violence or persecution. 

Migrants and their attempts to enter Europe increase during the Summer months as better weather allows the migrants to hop on the dangerous boats, which otherwise get capsized in the rough weather. 

According to a United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) report, 3,231 migrants had died or gone missing whilst undertaking the treacherous sea journey. 

The report showed that in 2021, 1,924 people were reported dead or missing on the Central and Western Mediterranean routes, while another 1,153 perished on the North African maritime route to the Canary Islands.

Read More: Over 3,000 migrants lost at sea trying to reach Europe in 2021: UN

Dubbing the situation a 'largely overlooked tragedy', UN appealed the international community for increased humanitarian assistance, support and solutions.